Memories of the Arctic Phoenix
by Paradise-wolves
Summary: Fai decides that after all thats happened its time to talk about his past. Theres only one person he'll tell and thats Kurogane. Slight KuroxFai and AshuraxFai SPOILERS for recent chapters! COMPLETED
1. Preparation

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Tsubasa CLAMP owns them  
**Pairings:** Slight Kuro x Fai

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If only things were different…then he would be a free man…but things weren't different and he wasn't a free man and probably never would be.

The blonde magician stared out of the open window watching the desert princess and the new Syaoran; they looked like they were having fun. Even if this wasn't the same teen the group had travelled with he still had similar qualities about him, they both shared the same goal to get the feathers for Sakura.

The mage lay back against the bed and sighed, it was so boring being cooped up in a room but he didn't want to see the kids in his current state. Infact Fai couldn't remember coming to this world and assumed that the group had moved on since he had passed out.

This would have meant that the kids had already seen him in his ragged and blood stained state. He raised a hand to where his eye had been but felt a material instead of his eye lid. He glanced to the mirror and saw a patch covering where his eye had once been. Fai couldn't help but smile at how they had helped him even without his awareness.

The door slowly opened, Fai could sense it even though he was looking the other way. He heard the heavy foot steps and knew that the person by the door was the ninja.

His suspicions were confirmed when said ninja placed something on the side and sat on the chair beside the bed.

"Your awake I see…" The voice was full of an unusual tone, one which had never been heard coming from the raven haired man.

Fai nodded but couldn't force a smile, not today, not now, hopefully not ever again. He wanted to smile only when happy but years of forced practise had taken its toll.

"Those two vampires told us a lot about your eating habits." The taller man was watching the blondes face carefully, making sure the smile didn't creep where it didn't belong. Somewhere in the back of his mind was a voice, a voice saying this was his entire fault.

"Did they?...oh…" He couldn't help but let the sadness and depression cover his voice. He wanted death not life…he wanted it over…he wanted to be strong and not have to depend on anyone. He wanted to be more like Kurogane.

"You're still able to eat normal food…I guess the blood is more like an energy drink than food…" The ninja decided now probably wasn't the best time to ask questions or probably even to talk. He rose from the chair and moved the tray to Fai's bed side then turned to leave.

Fai watched the dark haired man move the food closer, not that he really wanted to eat in the first place. He watched the man start to leave the room, leave him alone, leave him to himself.

"You want to know don't you…?" The voice was quiet and barely audible but the ninja heard it all too clear.

"Now isn't the time for it I know that and you know that." The raven haired man commented from over his shoulder.

"I don't care…it needs to be said and now…now might be my last chance…" Fai's voice was shaking and his head was bowed. Tears started welling up behind the ice blue eye.

"Please…Kurogane hear me out!"

It was the first time Kurogane had heard his full name and that had to mean that the mage was serious and not about to wimp out. He walked back to the seat by the bed but was caught before he reached it.

The cold pale skin was almost a snow white against his tanned wrist. He took the sudden latching to his wrist as a plead for the ninja to sit beside the weak magician.

"Why do you want to tall me? Why now? Why not when I first asked you?" Kurogane knew it wasn't the time for so many questions but his mind had raced ahead of his brain.

"You need to know…you didn't need to before but you so now…" The voice was serious as was the mages face. The magician's face was blank and sheet white yet he continued.

"You need to know about my country…my king…my mistake…" The tears started to trickle down the porcelain face and etch out the hidden features of worry and guilt on the man's face.

Although the ninja had been against all forms of crying this time was visibly different, he wiped a few tears from the pale man's face with one hand and grasped Fai's hand in his other.

"You don't need to…" he was cut off by the magician shaking his head.

"I'm going to tell you but don't tell Sakura or Mokona…you can tell Syaoran if you feel the need but not those two." His face had gained a small smile again but it was real…a real smile on Fai was a once in a lifetime sight so the ninja let it stay.

Fai took a breath and tried to calm his nerves while tightening his grip on the ninja's hand.


	2. Innocent

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Tsubasa CLAMP owns them  
**Pairings:** Slight Kuro x Fai  
**Side note: **I'm sorry for any typos in this chapter, the first chapter or any that follow .I tend to write at night so I guess it can't be helped ...

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The blondes gaze returned to the window to watch the kids outside again, his grip stayed tight on the ninja's hand though.

"They're so innocent aren't they…" The mage's voice seemed to of dropped from its usual high pitched screaming.

"I guess…but what does that have to do with anything?" For once Kurogane wasn't yelling at how off topic the comment was.

He had gotten to learn after many experiences that Fai never truly seemed to mean what he said.

"I used to be like them. Not worrying about the future and only concentrating on the task at hand but I haven't been like that in many a moon." The smile had dropped clear off the pale man's face and was replaced with a distant look.

The ninja kept his gaze on the back of the other man's head, he never was one with words and it wasn't often that the mage was so willing to talk openly. His princess had once said that when there is nothing of value to say then its best not to say anything. It was funny that all it took to understand the words of wisdom was to be around a loony magician, a bun and two kids…then again maybe that was Tomoyo's plan all along.

A small sigh escaped the blonde's lips before a brief pause.

"I guess I should start from the beginning…"

_The land was vast, so vast that most of the country was nothing but fields of ice. The main capital was home to only the best people._

_In the north part of the country lay a village which was kept isolated most of the year. Three families' large families lived in the village, Desune, Chambrea and Flowright._

_The families had many relatives who had moved away, but none had been in the main capital before. No one really wanted to either since many that went in never came out again._

_The Flowright clan had around 20 people living in the village. The youngest of the family was only 4 years old and yet was already was always hard working. He had no brothers or sisters, only cousins. _

_The boy was fair haired and blue eyed, his name was Fai, Fai Flowright. His father had long since left to export goods to other villages._

_His mother, however, was always cooking and cleaning or using a little magic here and there. She didn't have a great deal of power and everyone in the village believed that Fai would have only a small amount if any. Yet people were still cautious around him._

_The small boy had learnt that if his father was out then it was better to help with chores around the home. On the odd occasion he'd go outside and sit in the snow. He loved the snow it was so peaceful and calm. On the odd days he'd see a snow rabbit bounce by but nothing was abnormal about that._

_Nothing was abnormal about Fai that was until one day he saw something new in the sky. _

"_Mother…do birds live here?" The boy had asked one cold night._

_His mother shook her head, "No dear there are none here. Not anymore atleast."_

"_Then why did I see one? I saw one the other day" _

"_You couldn't of dear, they don't exist" With that she left and quietly shut the door._

_The sound of a door could be heard which meant Fai's father had returned from his work. There was the occasional muttering and the smell of food drifted in the air. Fai was about to doze off when he heard his mother speak._

"_He says he saw a bird the other day…" His mother's voice was quiet and seemed to be filled with worry._

"_A bird?" There was a brief pause before a large bang was heard._

_The boy curled up in a small ball trying to block out the sounds, he never did like loud sounds, they meant fighting and anger._

"_I thought you said the magic wouldn't show up until he was old enough to keep it hidden!" The loud voice had to of been from his father. There was another bang._

"_I thought so too…I'll ask Kaima to check on him tomorrow…make sure he's okay…"_

_Kaima was an old woman who the children called, 'The ice hag'. She lived on the outskirts of town and was in charge of keeping care of the climate for the crops. No one had really spoken to her and know one knew anything about her other than she came from the capital._

_Fai got out of bed and walked to the window, the bird he'd seen was back again…circling the area as if it was looking for someone._

A knock on the door snapped Fai out of his trance like state; he turned to the door and smiled slightly.

Kurogane had wondered why the mage had stopped until the door opened and a familiar white ball jumped onto his face.

"Kuro-pun! Fai!" The ball cried out. It noticed Fai still holding the ninja's hand. "Love!-love!" It chirped happily.

Kurogane was about to throw the ball out of the window when Fai rose from the bed and plucked Mokona away. His mask was back in place for the world to see.

"Sakura-chan has made dinner then?" He smiled down at the bun in his arms.

The small creature nodded and jumped out of the hold before waddling out of the room.

"Fat tub of lard…" Kurogane snarled, oh how he hated that bun. He hated it with a passion.

"Kurogane…about the rest…I'll tell you later, ne?" The magician had turned his back and had let the mask fall; the mask obviously had no place in the conversation.

Kurogane nodded before rising behind the mage, he leant down to the pale man's ear and whispered,

"No matter how good you think your mask looks your real face is much better." With that the raven haired man left the room leaving the mage in silence.

"I don't think it looks good…it's just another thing that I can't escape." Fai turned to glance at the food which was left next to the bed.

He shook his head and let the mask come back into place before he left the room.


	3. Polite

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Tsubasa CLAMP owns them  
**Pairings:** Kuro x Fai  
**Note: **Please tell me if I made loads of mistakes here but I ran out of time to proof read so sorry if it makes no sense... 

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"Sakura-chan you're really developing your cooking skills" being polite was a skill everyone was taught when young. Always being polite to anyone and everyone was something you had to learn on your own. This was a lesson the blonde magician had learnt a long time ago.

When the dinner was finished Sakura and Syaoran left to wash up leaving the two older males and the bun in the dinning room. Mokona was happily stirring another tea spoon of sugar into Fai's cup when a wave of mixed emotions filled the room.

"Fai…Kuro-rin…are you mad at Mokona?" The question was unexpected and shocked both sitting at the table. Fai gently picked up the ball and held it close in an attempt to quell the tears already forming in the small eyes.

"We're not angry at you. It's just…just that some of us need some space. We need space to sort out problems and disagreements that's all." Fai truly was a master of words he could answer just about any question thrown at him.

"Do you want Mokona to leave you two alone?" The small bun asked quietly with a hint of sadness in its voice.

"No. How about when we're in a room and the door is shut you stay away from it, ne?" The mage had his best smile on in an attempt to make things right again.

Mokona nodded and bounced into the kitchen to find the two kids. The room fell silent with neither male speaking nor even attempting to start a conversation. The two from Clow eventually returned to the room before leaving to go to see the night life.

Once again the magician and the ninja were left to their thoughts.

"Are you alright?" The ninja had asked after he'd noticed Fai without his mask in sight.

"Huh? Yeah…I guess I'm alright…" The magician had replied only half heartedly, his mind was obviously elsewhere.

Kurogane moved slightly closer to sit next to the blonde who was now bowing his head.

"You shouldn't cry so often…" As soon as the words left his mouth the ninja instantly regretted saying them.

"I know you think I'm weak…I know I _am _weak but…I don't need a reminder of that everyday." There was spite mixed with depression in the normally soft voice.

The raven haired man gently pulled Fai into his arms before rubbing a hand up down the trembling man's back.

Fai wrapped his arms tightly around the tanned man and grasped the back of his shirt. Even though the blonde knew tears were considered a weakness he couldn't stop them coming.

"I can't help who I am…I don't work well alone…I guess that's why I've screwed up so many times..." The magician's words were muffled by the material of Kurogane's shirt.

"You haven't screwed up. You've kept the kids and that bun happy, you're better than me." The ninja mentally cursed himself for the lack of comforting words in his vocabulary.

Fai lifted his head to look at Kurogane's face. So many times he'd believed that to only find he'd been lied to.

"What of you? I've screwed up with you haven't I? You think I'm weak…pathetic…useless…" The words didn't hit home for a few seconds. Kurogane was visibly shocked although he wasn't sure which part was so shocking, the part about him worried about the ninja's opinion or the part about Fai putting himself down.

Kurogane was at a loss for words which was about as rare as a real smile of Fai's pale face.

"You haven't. You haven't screwed up at all, I…I'm just not as gifted at being polite as you are." The ninja replied while burying his face in the mage's soft hair.

"Everyone is can be polite…it's just that not everyone has had to be polite every moment of their lives…" Fai's grip tightened on the back of the ninja's shirt, almost digging his nails through the fabric and into the raven haired man's back.

"You're over tired. Why don't you go to sleep you can explain more to me tomorrow when the bra...I mean kids go out to search?" The ninja gently pushed the mage away, just enough to see his face but not enough to make Fai close off again.

Fai nodded letting a few blonde bangs fall across his face, he leaned forward and gently brushed his lips against the taller man's. Without giving into to much want the mage quickly pulled away and took off to the room.

Kurogane was left in the silent room shocked; of all the things the mage had done this was the most amazing. The ninja smiled slightly, it didn't look as if Fai wanted to keep things away from him much more.


	4. A night time talk

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Tsubasa CLAMP owns them  
**Pairings:** Slight Kuro x Fai  
**Note:** AshuraxFai will come up soon I promise...Also i'm ill so give me a little slack on this chapter 

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_Fai…_

That voice seemed so familiar.

_Fai…_

It seemed so near.

_Fai…_

It sounded so warm and friendly.

_Fai…_

And yet it brought fear with it.

Fai woke with a start to find he'd fallen asleep with only his head resting on the bed. His breathing was heavy, the voice suddenly hit home, it was his king's voice in the dream. The flaxen mage realised the presence of another person in the room and seemingly close behind.

"Fai?" The voice was surprisingly groggy as if the person had just woken up. Fai let a sigh of relief escape when he saw the tanned by the wall. The ninja never was one to sleep on a bed and seemed to get less sleep than the blonde.

Kurogane rubbed his eyes in an attempt to wake up a bit more. The mage had got his breathing under control atleast.

"Fai?" The ninja questioned again. No matter how he protested at not being one with words the ninja could say an awful lot with just a name.

"What is it?" Fai asked back his voice was rather scratchy infact his whole throat felt like it had been cut to shreds.

"You're not well are you? You've made yourself sick with all your emotions haven't you?" The ninja half crawled to sit next the mage, leaning his back against the bed.

"I guess…I still want to tell you though…" Fai raised a hand to his throat; he could feel warm patches as if someone had wrapped hands around it.

"You haven't come near me have you?" The blonde asked without thinking.

Kurogane shook his head and knocking a few bangs out of place.

"I came in saw you there and went to sleep over by the wall." He explained.

Fai nodded and shook off the feeling to his over active imagination.

"You should get into bed and get a few hours sleep, after all I'm sure the kids and the bun will be upset if you got even sicker." The ninja had a good point.

"Sleeping is for those who are innocent…I lost innocence a long time ago." Fai turned around to let his back also rest against the bed.

The ninja raised a hand to Fai's forehead,

"How so?"

Fai closed his eyes and gave a light chuckle.

"Innocence is for children…normal children...but I wasn't a normal child. I knew that when my mother told me no birds existed and yet I saw one everyday." The blonde let his head fall onto Kurogane's shoulder.

"_So you've seen birds?" The old lady asked. The blonde turned his gaze to outside the room._

"_I haven't seen **birds** only a bird." Fai explained._

_Kaima nodded and noted something down on a piece of paper. She shook her head slightly to the adults present in the room. _

"_Are you aware of magic?" The witch questioned._

_Fai nodded, "Mother has magic and I watch her sometimes but I have no intention of using magic."_

"_You have a wisdom that surpasses your age. You are how old?"_

"_4…but I'll be 5 soon." The blonde turned and smiled at Kaima before returning to the window._

"_4? I see…If you'll excuse me…" She rose from her seat and assured the parents into a side room. _

_Fai could still hear them but didn't want to point that out to anyone._

"_Your son is indeed carrying a great power. Certainly this power didn't come from their parents. When was he born?" There was a short shuffling noise probably from his parents._

"_On the same day the magic in the capital went haywire." Fai's father announced._

"_I see…it seems he attracted that magic." Kaima paused. "Don't blame yourselves and don't let Fai blame himself for anything." With that the ice hag returned to see the blonde staring at the room._

"_What has the capital got to do with us? Why would I be blamed?" Unfortunately no one could tell the blue eyed boy about anything. It was not wise to tell such a young child things that should not concern him._

_Kaima just smiled and ruffled Fai's hair before turning to the door, "Fai…just remember that no matter what may happen you have to see the bigger picture. Can you promise me you'll look at the bigger picture?" _

_Fai nodded and watched his parents leave with the witch. They were obviously going to talk about things Fai didn't need to know._

_Fai smiled as he saw a shadow behind him. A bird. _

Fai looked up at the ninja who was holding him.

"If something happens I want you to save Syaoran-kun, Sakura-chan and Mokona over me. Can I ask that of you?" Fai's voice was serious and was slightly cold.

"What? Are you planning on doing something?" The ninja was trying his best not to sound surprised and worried.

"I'm not planning on it but with my luck something might. If _he _wakes up then he'll go after those close to me…I don't want you guys hurt because of me…please think of the bigger picture because I can't…" The mage crawled closer to the man beside him.

"I don't want to lose another person so dear to me." Fai whispered into Kurogane's ear.

The ninja nodded,

"I'll try…but I'll try to stop things like that before they happen too…"

The thin man rested his head on his companions shoulder,

"I hope so…" He muttered more to himself than anyone else.


	5. A price

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Tsubasa CLAMP owns them  
**Pairings:** Slight Kuro x Fai  
**Notes: **This chapter was based on #130 of TRC well...kinda... BAsing it on Fai's real past maybe be out in the next manga chapter I have two weeks to finish without rushing the story...  
Oh and let me know about any mistakes if they are really bad.

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A few hours into the new day and Fai had asked to be alone so he could speak with Yuuko.

The raven haired male was both pissed and upset that after all he'd gotten out of the blonde there was still something the mage wouldn't say. Sakura was sleeping in after her adventures no one questioned the over sleeping. Syaoran was quiet and gave off an awkward presence but the ninja couldn't blame him for that.

"Kurogane-san…?" The brown haired male asked barely. His voice was shaky and nervous.

"What?" He couldn't help the pissed off tone in his voice.

"Sorry…I was only going to ask about Fai-san's health…" The teen muttered to himself more than the taller male.

"He's fine in physical health…but his mental health is another question…" Kurogane looked back at the door which separated Fai from the group. He hated being left out, he hated feeling useless and yet he somehow felt this was how Fai felt constantly.

"Fai? Are you well today?" The witch asked.

Fai rested a hand on the sleeping Mokona's head. He nodded slightly.

"Have you talked to Kurogane much?" She questioned.

"I have and I've tried to be back to normal, if there ever was a normal for me." He glanced out of a small crack in the curtains to see a bright light.

"Have you been talking about your past?" The woman rested her head on the back of her hand.

"Yes." Fai stated simply.

Sakura had woken up and come downstairs to see only two of her companions, both of whom didn't really want to speak to her.

She sat quietly at the table and ate something which she'd found in the kitchen.

"Sakura-hime…I'm sorry…" The new Syaoran muttered almost as a whisper.

"Huh? Why are you sorry?" The desert princess glanced to her new Syaoran.

"Kurogane-san…I'm also sorry…" The teen whispered again. His hands tightened into fists.

"It's my entire fault…if I'd only stopped it sooner…if I'd gotten there sooner…"

"Kid." Kurogane had simply said to get the attention of both teens. "I'm starting to believe that witch. I'm starting to believe that its no ones fault how things turn out. So don't blame yourself for it."

"Fai…are you sure you want me to do this?" The witch asked. Fai just nodded.

"Just tell me…is Chii still intact…is she still _alive._" The blonde looked to the floor allowing the bangs to fall across hid face.

"There is a lot of power in your home country but it seems like she is." Yuuko watched the mage carefully. "Your going to try to get your eye back aren't you." She added after studying the man.

Fai nodded before rising his glance to meet Yuuko's.

"I am. Ashura-ou will be awakening soon I can tell. I'll need all of my power to beat him." He briefly looked down at Mokona before smiling slightly.

"If I get into this fight will you know about it?"

The dark-haired witch nodded.

"Then if that happens can you have Mokona take the rest of them away. I don't want them getting hurt."

"There will be a price." The witch also looked at the sleeping ball by Fai's side.

"If that happens then I'll die either way. So may I pay with my life?" The mage asked already thinking the request would be denied.

"Why would you die?" The woman asked instead.

"If I have all my magic I might be able to take out Ashura as well but…if not then Ashura will more than likely take me out." The blonde explained.

"I se well...your price…"

Kurogane was now pacing the living room out of boredom. The two kids were talking quietly about various things that Syaoran had seen through the eye.

The door opened and there was Fai holding the sleeping Mokona.

Sakura rushed over to see the mage which caused the fluff ball to wake up, thought Kurogane doubted it was ever asleep.

Mokona jumped over to the new Syaoran and suggested that they search the new world.

Sakura, Syaoran and Mokona soon left leaving the two older men alone. The feeling in the room was cold even though it was fairly warm outside.

"Kurogane…There's something you need to know…"


	6. Confusion

**Disclaimer:** I don't own tsubasa CLAMP owns that.  
**Pairings: **KuroxFai 

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Kurogane blinked once, twice and then a third time. His mouth wouldn't form the words he needed.

"I might be leaving soon…so I guess you'll only ant to know key things about why I'm leaving but…" Tears started to roll freely down Fai's face. He didn't expect to be saying goodbye so soon.

"Kurogane…I…You…we…"

The raven headed man just watched the pale form in front of him. He wanted to comfort the mage but his body wouldn't move.

He shook his head slightly not wanting to hear what was being said.

"Kurogane…I…I…" The magician turned on his heels and sped out the front door leaving the ninja to think about what had just happened.

Fai had seemed perfectly fine last night but in the morning he'd changed. The man was at a loss for words and stood in the same spot until the kids came home.

"Kurogane-san are you alright?" The little princess had asked, her voice slightly panicked from her place behind Syaoran.

"Kurogane-san did Fai do something?" Syaoran boldly asked not really expecting an answer from someone who regarded him as a stranger.

The ninja let his knees give way and slumped onto the floor in a trance-like state. Fai's words were still buzzing in him mind.

Most people would have rushed after and checked what was wrong, but they weren't close like that…atleast Kurogane had never thought so.

"Fai…" he whispered coming out sounding more pained than he wanted it too.

Mokona jumped onto the floor and walked right up to the ninja before gently patting his knee in an attempt to comfort the tall male.

"Fai is by the cliff…" The bun muttered, the voice didn't match Mokona's normal taunting one though it was a serious tone.

"Cliff?" For the second time the raven haired man was at a loos for words. "How did you"

He was cut off by the white creature shaking its head and pointing out towards the sea.

"If Yuuko is right about this then you better go talk to him. Get things in the open between you two…" The creature trailed off, it knew something that was for sure.

The ninja nodded and set off towards the coast that Mokona had pointed to.

"Is something wrong with Fai-san?" Sakura asked going into the kitchen.

"It's something that we shouldn't worry about." Mokona jumped on to Sakura's shoulder before both went to get lunch started.

Syaoran looked out of the window, "Kurogane-san…Fai-san…because of me, because of my clone…you two are being thrown into the deep end before you can swim."

Fai was sitting at the edge of the cliff staring out at the sea; it was so blue, so calm and peaceful. The wind blew the blonde hair back and forth as it changed directions.

"Fai…" The voice jerked Fai out of his blank thoughts and drew his attention to the crimson eyed ninja.

"Kurogane…I didn't think you'd come…" The mage muttered as his attention went back to the waves below.

The ninja sat beside the smaller man. He eyes kept returning to the man next to him.

"How are the" The mage was cut off by a finger against his lips.

"They're fine and they don't need to be spoken about here. It's just us two." The voice was surprisingly calm and gentle coming from the warrior.

Fai smiled and nodded slightly he turned slightly and laid his head against his companion's shoulder.

"It's us two…"

_A few years after Kaima had visited the weather became even colder. No one let their children go outside anymore; the blonde boy still went out despite the weather. His mother had fallen deeply ill lately and was bed ridden while his father was out of town working._

_Fai was now 8, the average child started doing chores in the harsh weather at 10 years of age but seeing as a family was depending on him Fai went out anyway. _

_One day when Fai had time from his chores he'd followed the bird watching its movements until it landed in a field of snow. A girl was with the giant creature, she must have been about 4 years old with long blonde hair and lavender eyes._

_Fai had walked slowly up to the two standing in the field. The girl noticed him but only smiled. She held out her hand letting a bird form and take flight._

"_How did you do that?" The blond boy had asked._

"_Magic." She had stated simply before adding, "Thank you."_

"_Thank you? For what?" _

"_Looking after my bird when no one else could see him." The girl smiled again as she looked to the white creature beside her._

_Fai nodded. A bell chimed in the distance._

"_I better go now." Fai said as he turned to walk off._

"_Look at the bigger picture Fai. Don't waste your life dwelling on the past." The voice had come from the girl but when Fai turned around there was no one there._

"_Look at the bigger picture…" The blonde repeated slowly as he went on his way to another field._

"I've been brought up knowing that…and yet…I still don't do it." Fai's head had moved to rest on Kurogane's stomach.

The ninja was currently lying on his back looking up at the sky.

"You should start following it." The tanned male muttered. Fai just nodded.

"Not everyone can do that though. Not all of us can do things on our own…but…I won't be around my longer anyway…" Fai closed his eye and breathed deeply.

"Is that what you were trying to tell me?" Kurogane propped himself up on his elbows to get a better look at the mage's face.

Fai nodded slightly.

"He's going to wake up soon…" The mage opened his eye and glanced at the raven haired man.

"I'm not strong enough to go through what he wants again." The mage added before relaxing again and closing the blue orb.

"Then don't find someone to protect you." The ninja laid back down.

"I don't want just anyone Kurogane…I want…" The mage shifted and seemed to have drifted off.

Kurogane smiled slightly.

"I know Fai…you're my idiot…"


	7. Alone

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Tsubasa CLAMP owns them  
**Pairings:** Slight Kuro x Fai  
**Note: **Sorry it took two day...uhhh..I think but I had english coursework to do... 

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The mage regained consciousness to find himself back in his room; no one seemed to be in the house, even Kurogane seemed to be missing. He strained his ears to try and pick up any sign of life but found nothing.

"They left me here…" He muttered under his breath. He decided this was how Sakura must feel when Syaoran goes off to do other things. Fai glanced at the desk to see a piece of paper sticking up.

He swung his legs out of bed and stumbled slightly over to the piece of paper, it turned out to be a note, probably from the ninja.

The blonde scanned the paper but found he couldn't understand it at all and sighed before turning over the paper.

On the other side was a poor attempt at_ his_ countries writing system.

"Fai,

We haven't left you but the kid insisted we spread out and search for the feather.

He might not have his head straight but he was right that the quicker we find it the quicker we can get you real medicine.

We should be back by the evening and don't strain yourself.

Kurogane."

Fai chuckled slightly, "Kurogane…you must have tried ages to get this right without insults."

"Oi Kid." The ninja grunted causing the brunette boy to turn around and face him.

"Kurogane-san what is it?" The boy asked slightly nervous at being address by the older man.

"You sure I should come out with you after all I'm not convinced that mage actually values his life." The raven haired man stared at the ground while speaking not wanting to make eye contact with anyone.

"Kurogane-san I may not know you aswell as…well…as well as _Syaoran_ but…I think you need sometime apart to let his words sink in." The boy had a point for someone who'd been watching the whole time.

"Were you the only one watching us?" The taller male asked.

"No. There is another, the one who enslaved me, the one who killed your parents, and the one who made everything happen. He's been manipulating everything." The new Syaoran had a distant look in his eyes as he talked.

"Syaoran-kun, can we take a rest?" The desert princess spoke up for the first time since they'd left the building they were all staying in.

Syaoran nodded. Soon the group of three was sitting in a park somewhere near the middle of town.

"Manjuu bun, come here." Kurogane motioned for Mokona to come over.

"What is it Kuro-pyon?" The white creature asked.

"IT'S KUROGANE!" The now enraged ninja yelled causing many people to rush past.

"Why does Kuro want to talk to Mokona?" The creature tilted its head slightly.

"I need to speak to the witch about something." The man's voice was just below a whisper so no one would here apart from Mokona.

"Yuuko? Okay…" The bun scanned the area and pointed to a large tree. "We can sit behind there." The white ball pointed a stubby arm towards the tree.

Fai lay on the sofa downstairs with a glass full of a green liquid he had found on the side with a sign saying, 'From Yuuko to Fai.'

The mage almost threw the drink away after the first sip; it tasted sweet but really had a bitter aftertaste.

He'd searched for another drink but found nothing not even clean water. In the end Fai had become too tired to search for food and ended up on the sofa trying to stay awake while forcing himself to drink the strange liquid.

"Kurogane…Sakura-chan…Mokona-chan…Syaoran-kun…hurry back…"The mage muttered while clutching his head in pain. The glass was soon lying on the floor as sleep finally caught its victim.

"Kurogane what is the meaning of you contacting me?" The witch never was nice when it came to the ninja. She enjoyed playing with him like a cat would with a mouse.

"It's Fai…I was hoping you could get something for me…" The ninja kept his gaze away from the woman since she was bound to be grinning like she knew something he didn't.

"It depends what it is you want me to get." The dark haired woman made no attempt to make fun out of the ninja.

"I need you to get this." Kurogane gave Mokona a note which was soon passed to Yuuko. "I don't need it right now just…before tonight." The man added.

"I can do that for you but of course there will be a price." The witch kept glancing over the note to make sure she hadn't missed anything.

"Tell me what it is." The ninja asked while keeping his tone serious.

"You must give up your current sword. That is the only other thing that is important to you other than a person." Yuuko spoke in her mysterious tone.

"Fine." The ninja nodded and let his sword be taken and passed onto the woman he hated the most.

"I'll give it to you later than. See you this evening." With that she was gone and Mokona was left staring at the ninja in disbelief.

Syaoran sighed as they reached the front door. No luck on find the feather but Mokona was sure it was there with them.

"Hime…I'm sorry I failed again." The boy muttered.

"It's not your fault." Sakura smiled one of her heart warming smiles as she opened the door. Her face almost immediately paled at the sight in front of her, even Syaoran turned white. Mokona quickly hid inside the princesses clothes while muttering something about it being horrible.

The ninja pushed himself to the front to see the glass in pieces on the floor without any mage in sight. The raven haired man reacted on his first though, check upstairs and keep the kids away.

"Kid, stay down here no matter what." The tanned man ordered before taking off upstairs.

"Syaoran-kun…" The princess muttered before looking at the mess.

"I'm sure hes fine but let's clean up and get the first aid kit just in case." The brown eyed boy said trying to make everything sound fine.

Kurogane rushed past a few doors before sliding to a stop outside Fai's room. He shook his head, _knowing him he'll be…_ The ninja walked onto the next door which was his room.

He slowly opened the door and saw what he didn't want to see.

"Fai! What are you doing!"


	8. Blood

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Tsubasa CLAMP owns them  
**Pairings:** Slight Kuro x Fai 

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"Do you think Fai is okay…?" Sakura muttered after a few moments. Syaoran did his best to smile and nodded slightly.

"I'm sure hes fine Sakura-hime." As soon as the words left the boy's mouth they heard a noise from upstairs from a door opening.

"Fai! What are you doing!" The voice surprised both of the teens and Mokona. All three looked towards the stairs before Sakura tried to run towards the sound. Syaoran put a hand on her shoulder and shook his head.

"Kurogane-san wanted us to stay put no matter what and I think we should obey his wishes." Syaoran spoke while looking towards the stairs then he turned and went to sit down on the sofa.

Sakura hesitated before joining the brunette boy on the sofa.

Kurogane knew he should have expected something alone the lines of this but it was still a shock. The ninja rushed into the room and grabbed the mages wrist.

Fai was covered in blood and cuts of various sizes all over his body, or what the raven haired man could see of it. The crimson liquid stood out against the white skin of the mage. He was holding his free hand to his stomach.

The blonde tightened his grip on the sharp object in his hand causing more blood to flow freely.

"You idiot. What caused you to do this to yourself! Are he so bad to you that you have to harm yourself!" The ninja turned away from the smaller male and dropped the wrist he was holding before turning back to the doorway.

Fai watched the man before turning back to the object he was holding. The glass glinted even in the dull light; it was almost begging to cut flesh, to bring blood to the surface.

The blonde looked down at the hand across his stomach to see more blood flowing.

"I didn't want to live…I'm too weak…but…I guess I'm too weak for death…" Fai muttered than glanced at Kurogane who was now facing him. "I want to die…but I don't want to…" The thin male dropped the glass to the floor where it shattered into more pieces.

"I told you that all you had to do was ask!" The warrior knew it wasn't the time for shouting at the disturbed mage but his emotions were in control.

"You wouldn't do it though…you'd find a way too talk me out of it…" A few drops of blood fell down his pale face.

"I…." Kurogane paused he knew Fai was right. "…You should have a shower then get bandaged up I'm sure the two downstairs are already worried about you."

"Where are you going then?" The mage asked trying to stand in the blood but failed.

"Fai!" The raven haired man crossed the room to grip hold of Fai's waist and dragged him up so the mage's ear was near his mouth. "I really miss you around and I'd be devastated if you were gone." The warrior picked the small man up before setting him down on the bed.

"Words are empty…" Fai muttered.

_A figure stood watching over two graves which were covered in a layer of snow, a bird flew past the stone piles and landed on the figures shoulder._

"_Mother, Father…I'm sorry for all that has been done." The person laid down some flowers on the graves before turning back towards the village._

_It had been two weeks since the Flowright parents had died. The mother had been deeply ill for awhile and refused all medical treatment that was sent from the capital. _

"_Fai…Don't give up if you have a dream and always look at the big picture." The last words of his mother ringed clearly and the feeling of her watching his every move was settling in._

_The blonde's father had died while out on an expedition in the mountains, they said the cave had collapsed and crushed man, while others and been trapped and frozen to death._

_Fai had told his father not to go but he was ignored. Ever since Kaima had confirmed his magic abilities Fai's father had grown distant._

_The blonde struggled to walk in the thick snow which was up to his knees. The little bird was chirping merrily from its perch on his shoulder. _

_Fai smiled; he loved the snow and always had it was so white and pure. The blonde stared up at the sky before placing his arms behind his head. _

"_Mother, Father I won't let you down." The blonde muttered._

"_Fai! Chirp!" A girl came rushing up to the tall teen and the small bird, before stopping a few steps in front of them. "Kaima…was…looking…for you…" The girl started to have a coughing fit while covering his mouth his her gloved hand._

"_Desu…You shouldn't be outside. Chirp should of stayed with you." The boy placed an arm around her shoulders before lifting her up slightly._

"_I wanted Chirp to go with you…Kaima said it was important…you better go…" The girl managed to speak in between coughs and motioned towards a small building in the village._

_Fai nodded, "Just get inside okay?" The blonde walked towards the building and disappeared inside._

"_Its too late for me…but…you can still be safe…" Her last words fell into the snow village before she collapsed to the floor._

"_Kaima!" The room was warm and quiet it seemed to be blocking the outside noise and felt isolated. _

"_Fai-kun welcome." The old lady walked slowly into the room before glancing outside. _

"_Is something wrong?" Fai asked a little worried about the woman's actions. _

"_Everything is fine…but, someone from the capital will come. They know about you Fai-kun." She gave Fai a glance over before returning her gaze outside._

"_Should I run?" The teen asked._

"_How old are you now Fai-kun?" She said avoiding the previous question._

"_14 but I'm 15 in a few months. Why?" The blonde tilted his head slightly._

"_Then you should go with them. You can learn to control your powers which should be growing in power soon." She glanced to the door. "Here they are Fai-kun...I'll visit you." Her voice sounded pained and her words were forced._

_There was a knock on the door. Fai watched the old woman open the door and let two soldiers inside her building._

_They motioned for Fai to come with them, the blonde backed away slightly before spinning on his heel and jumping out the open window._

_There were many tales about the capital, about how people died horrible deaths and how no one went there by free will. Fai decided it wasn't his time to go there._

_A soldier leaped out from behind a building which startled the panicked boy. Fai unleashed a burst of energy right through the soldier's stomach, sending him down to the ground to lie in a newly forming pool of blood._

_Fai trembled thinking over what he'd just done, he'd killed a man, a fellow human._

_The small bird chirped into the blonde's ear signalling for the two to take their leave. Both set off running into the same mountains which kept the village from the world._

Kurogane pulled the mage up with him and helped him to the bathroom.

"Have a shower…I'll be right here when you come out." The ninja smiled slightly and pushed the mage into the bathroom before heading out of the room, probably to tell Sakura and Syaoran that he was alright.

Fai regretted what he'd done to himself as the water hit his body. It stung and his whole body was screaming in agony.

"I guess…I'm still and idiot…" The mage rested his head lightly against the shower wall allowing the water to run down his back.

Kurogane picked up the bandages when he heard the few words he wanted to hear.

"Kuro-pin! Yuuko has what you wanted!" The ball yelled from his place on a cushion.


	9. A gift

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Tsubasa CLAMP owns them  
**Pairings:** Slight Kuro x Fai  
**Note:** Ashura makes his first appearence...No Fai wont be telling a lot else to everyone and also I don't plan on killing Fai...

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"Good evening." The sharp voice of the dimension witch came through the air. Her figure soon showed up in the air, projected by Mokona.

"Good evening Yuuko-san" Sakura said quietly.

"Good evening Yuuko." Syaoran soon added nervously.

"You have what I asked then?" Kurogane didn't believe in saying 'hello' it was a distraction for the real point of the conversation.

"I have and you have already paid. Are you going to tell me what you intend on doing with this?" Yuuko held up a medium sized box for the group to see.

"If nothing works to help that mage this should." The ninja replied simply.

"Care to explain?" The witch pressed on trying to understand why she had been asked to get what she had.

"Let's say hes like a vortex at the moment. Anyone near him goes down aswell I seem to remember reading something about these creatures." The tall male folded his arms.

"I see…well I wish you luck…" The woman passed the box out of view and within an instant it popped out the other end into the ninja's arms.

"Goodbye Mokona, Sakura-chan, Syaoran-kun and Kurogane." The woman then vanished.

Fai reluctantly dragged himself out of the shower and grabbed one of the towels from the rack. He carefully dried himself off while cursing for ever thinking that cutting his body would be good.

"I had a reason…I had a reason…" The blonde muttered as he wrapped the towel around his waist.

He slowly walked into the bedroom hiding no one was in there.

"I should have guessed." Fai dripped his head and chuckled sadly.

"You're done then?" The gruff voice of a certain ninja came from the doorway.

"I thought you'd be downstairs." Fai turned to the chest of drawers and began rummaging through them.

"You really did a lot of damage to your back." The raven haired man said absent mindedly.

Fai just nodded slightly before walking back towards the bathroom.

"Going somewhere?" Kurogane asked watching the mage.

"To get dressed it's rather cold isn't it?" The blonde said before disappearing into the room.

The warrior sat down on the bed and placed the box he'd been carrying along with the bandages on the side table.

The platinum haired male returned from the bathroom still carrying his shirt.

"Too painful?" The ninja asked.

Fai nodded and stood a few yards from the other male. Kurogane stood up and sighed, no matter how many times Fai got hurt it was always him that had to do the bandaging.

The wizard flinched at the contact with the material. He didn't complain about it though, he was used to pain.

Kurogane finished off the bandaging which covered most of the pale man's torso.

"Thank you Kurogane." The flaxen mage nodded slightly and pulled the top over his head.

"I'll see you downstairs the kids are probably worried about you." The tanned man walked towards the door and paused, "Oh and don't forget about that box." With that the ninja left.

Fai turned to look at the box left behind.

"Kurogane-san is Fai-san okay?" Sakura asked the moment the ninja had arrived downstairs.

"He'll be done when he feels ready." The male grunted.

"Kuro-piiiii! Has Fai seen the box? What's inside it?" The white bun jumped up and down on Kurogane's lap.

"You'll find out when the mage comes down." The ninja tried to block out the white ball by shutting his eyes and trying to ignore the high pitched voice.

"Sorry…I should have come down sooner." Fai's voice filled the room which drew everyone's attention.

"Fai-san!" The princess shot out of her seat and rushed over to the lithe male before hugging him tightly round the waist.

A small bird hopped out of Fai's collar and onto his shoulder where it began chirping merrily.

"A bird?" Syaoran muttered before turning slightly to the man sitting opposite him.

"It's one of those birds!" Mokona cried out in tune with the bird's chirping.

Fai smiled one of his signature fake smiles before letting his eyes grow dark.

"There's something I need to tell you…all of you…" Fai muttered.

Sakura let go of the magician and took a few steps back looking rather shocked at the man's cold tone.

"Fai-san?" The girl asked.

"Sakura-chan its better you, and Syaoran know this much of my past. It may not be ideal to tell you both since your both so young and innocent but…it'll save you in the long run." Fai walked over and sat down careful that he didn't lean on his back.

Sakura soon followed and took her seat next to Syaoran.

"I was brought up knowing one thing in life; always look at the big picture. I never could and that's probably what caused the problems later in my life…" Fai trailed off letting his eyes gaining the far off look he normally took when talking about serious matters.

The bird titled its head slightly.

_Young teens or adults for that matter never ran off into mountains. Yet here was the blonde teen travelling with a little bird. He shivered slightly and watched his breath turn to ice in front of him. _

_The two had been travelling for what seemed like months but was probably only a matter of days. There were large lights in the sky, and before long a large building with wing-like structures sticking out of it. _

_"The capital…" The blonde breathed, the bird tweeted slightly from its place in a pocket. _

_The two, well the teen since he was the one running, hurried to the city ignoring all advice about never going in. _

_People were dressed in different clothes than the ones from the villages. Many were standing in rows along a road trying to get a glimpse of something. _

_Fai snatched an apple while everyone was distracted, he hoped no one saw him unfortunately the worst possible person had. _

_Prince Ashura._


	10. Prince Ashura

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Tsubasa CLAMP owns them  
**Pairings:** Ashura x Fai  
**Note: **Time to move a pairing for a chapter. Once again Fai is not going to die.

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Fai paused briefly and turned his gaze to the floor. Sakura and Mokona watched the thin man who had started to shift uncomfortably.

"Fai-san…you don't need to tell us…" Sakura spoke up after a few moments causing all eyes to turn to her.

"If I don't you won't have any chance." Fai replied, his voice was cold and serious.

The ninja watched as the small bird hopped onto the blonde's head and looked down. If this wasn't such a serious moment he would of laughed at the look on Fai's face.

"If…if I may ask…where did you get the bird?" The ice blue eyes now turned to Kurogane.

"I got it from Yuuko." He said simply.

"I take it you don't know where _she _got it from." Fai turned back to stare at the floor.

"I don't…" The raven haired man turned to glance outside the window, the world was so quiet, nothing was moving.

Fai took a deep breathe before continuing.

_The blonde held out the apple core for the small bird to eat from, the two were currently in an alley._

_The weather had taken a turn for the worst and snow had started falling rapidly. The village had unpredictable weather but nothing like this. _

_Fai wished that he'd had time to atleast say goodbye to some people in the village, he'd grown up with them and now he'd ran off without a word. The male sighed before slumping against one of the walls. The bird began chirping merrily away after eating its fill. _

"_I guess we're stuck here…stuck between a rock and a hard place." The teen smiled slightly, he could have sworn the bird has smiled too. Nothing was surprising after what he'd grown up with._

_This place was almost like another world. People dressed differently these people were dressed in high class clothes. The language was also slightly different from the village. Even the food tasted different, this place was full of modified and corrupted things._

"_Stealing is wrong you know." A voice cut through the air from the end of the alley. A teen, maybe a few years older than Fai, was standing there. He had a hood to cover his head but a few strands of long black hair hung loose._

"_It's a dog eat dog world. We eat the food or we get eaten ourselves." Fai mused. The boy standing at the end of the alley looked familiar yet the blonde had never met him or seen him._

"_I guess…shouldn't you be at home?" The male asked taking a few steps into the alley._

"_Home? Home is far away and I don't plan on walking through those mountains again." The smaller teen smiled at the other male._

"_You don't seem the type to be out here and living on the streets." The raven haired said absent mindedly._

"_How so?" Fai turned to watch the small bird now hopping on his finger and couldn't help but smile._

_The raven haired boy watched as the other teen smiled, so pure, he wasn't from the big city parts._

"_You're too pure, too beautiful to be from here." He replied smiling slightly at the blonde._

_Fai blushed slightly and tried to hide it under his hair._

"_I don't even know your name." Fai managed to glance up at the other male as he spoke._

"_It's Ashura and yours?" The raven haired male held out a hand to help the other to his feet._

_Fai accepted and let himself be pulled up._

"_Fai." The blonde tilted his head slightly as he smiled._

"_Well then Fai I think you ought to stay at a hotel. Not on the streets." Ashura saw a look cross the other's face briefly, "I'll pay for you to stay there so you don't need to worry."_

_Fai smiled again and the bird started singing its song again._

Syaoran stood up and stretched before turning to the kitchen. Mokona and Sakura soon followed.

"So…you were close to Ashura?" Kurogane muttered.

"You'll see…just give it time…" The mage leaned slightly towards the grumpy ninja, "It didn't last…nothing ever does around me." The male added sadly.

Sakura and Mokona soon returned with drinks for the two older travellers. Syaoran followed holding a tray of cookies, which Mokona had picked out, he lay them on the table in the center of the room.

"Sorry for interrupting Fai-san…its just…I thought you might need a break…" The brunette said nervously.

"Don't worry about it." Fai smiled and took a sip of his drink.

"Are you going to carry on?" The ninja asked as he swatted the white bun away from his drink.

Fai nodded.

"_So magicians have a common weakness?" Fai asked as the two walked up along the streets._

"_You didn't know?" Ashura looked surprised at the question._

"_Should I know?" The blonde asked back._

"_You are a magician. It's in your blood. It's in your energy. Anyway all magicians have a common weakness, they have to have something to rely on something to protect. Without it the magic has no purpose." The raven haired male explained._

"_Magician? Protect? I always got told that magician's are human…they bleed as everyone else does but…I guess if you take out what's dear to them they too take an emotional hit." Fai was talking to himself more than the male walking next to him._

"_That's the place." Ashura pointed out a high class hotel in the middle of the city square. The building itself looked expensive let along how much food and a bed would cost._

"_Isn't that a little expensive? I mean you just met me so why are you offering to pay for my room?" Fai asked still a little in shock. Chirp had hopping into the warm pocket of the blonde's coat._

"_It's nothing really." Ashura waved it off and dragged Fai by the hand into the hotel. The inside of the building looked exactly as the teen had imagined, very expensive with gold colours._

_Fai glanced around the ground floor whole his new friend was sorting out the room arrangements. He spotted a few pictures on the walls and looked over each one carefully._

_The blonde didn't realise the dark haired male had arrived until he felt a hand on his shoulder._

"_You like pictures then?" The taller male asked._

"_Not really but we didn't have a lot of pictures in the village." Fai said quietly, he wasn't ashamed of the village he had lived in but it seemed to keep him distant from people in the city._

"_I see…well I got you a room for the night I'll show you it." Ashura smiled down at the smaller male._

_Fai nodded and followed the other male up the stairs._

_They soon reached a large room, Ashura handed Fai the keys and turned to leave, until he felt something grab the back of his coat._

"_Will I see you tomorrow?" Fai asked still clutching the coat and blushing. _

"_Of course." The raven haired man turned round to the smaller male. "You're in touch with your feminine side aren't you?" He slipped his index finger under the blonde's chin._

_Fai leaned towards the other male slightly before whispering, "You shouldn't fall for people so easily."_

_With that he brushed lips with the taller male before breaking off and going into the hotel room._

Kurogane was up to his feet and grabbed the mage by his shirt collar looking really pissed off.

"Not in front of the children Kurogane." Fai muttered his eyes were for once in the same region as his face, both were cold and uncaring.

"That's why you wanted to tell them isn't it you knew I'd kill you if they weren't here!" The ninja shouted.

"Not true. If he does awaken you all know how to defeat him. You have to get rid of me." Fai turned his gaze from the crimson eyed man holding him from the ground.

The ninja dropped the light man and took few deep breaths trying to calm himself.

Sakura was at a loss for words and Syaoran made no attempt to interfere.

Fai took a few steps away from the group and soon heard the raven haired ninja follow him.

The mage sighed and turned around expecting to be yelled at again but instead had a fist make contact with his cheek bone. He could have sworn there was a cracking sound. Fai fell to the floor clutching a hand to his cheek as he watched the pissed off male storm out of the house.

"I knew you couldn't handle the truth Kurogane…but I thought you'd be better than that…"


	11. Calm before the storm

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Tsubasa CLAMP owns them  
**Pairings:** Slight Kuro x Fai  
**Note:** Woo! Finally updated this...This is actually the only one I've been updating...I need ideas for one and feedback for the other...its all too much for me faints Enjoy the chapter all the same 

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"Fai-san!" The desert princess was out of her seat and kneeling next to the blonde in record time. Syaoran and Mokona were left still on the sofa wondering what exactly happened.

One minute the two were yelling the next Fai was on the floor and Kurogane was out the door.

"Fai!" The white bun jumped from its seat and waddled over to the injured man and the princess. "Fai?" Mokona questioned with worry as it inspected the mage.

"Syaoran-kun?" Sakura watched the other teen get to his feet and make his way to the door.

"I'll go find Kurogane-san. Maybe it'd be best if I was the one to talk to him." The brunette avoided all eye contact and. In reality he wanted Sakura out of the house incase the ninja came back for another go at the other man.

"I'll be fine…I'm sure Kurogane-san would rather speak to you…" Sakura said quietly as she rose to her feet and headed for the first-aid box which was still on the table from earlier.

"Fai-san, is there anything you wish for me to tell Kurogane-san?" Syaoran glanced back to the figure still on the floor clutching his cheek.

Fai shook his head slightly, Syaoran nodded and left.

"Fai-san? Maybe we should get someone to look at your wound…" Sakura was carrying the box in her arms she leant down to the mage's level.

"That wont be needed Sakura-chan" Fai tried his best to smile but the pain that shot through every nerve on his face soon stopped that thought.

"Atleast get Yuuko…" Mokona added but was stopped short of its plan when the door opened.

Syaoran found the ninja sitting by a tree just outside the town, he'd walked up to the ninja expecting him to shout about how he hated being followed but no yelling came.

Kurogane hadn't said a word to the teen even when the brunette sat next to him.

"Fai-san is pretty hurt" The teen mumbled quietly, he still wasn't used to the man beside him.

"Oh? And why should I care?" The man grunted in reply, he didn't really want to talk about the blonde who he'd just hit.

"I wasn't talking about physical even though that's an obvious deal of pain…" The teen trailed off into silence.

"How _do _you mean then?" The crimson eyes glared at the nervous boy next to him.

"Well…Fai-san obviously doesn't want to talk about his past…and I don't blame him but…well…hes trying his best to tell everything he can so the secrets will be gone…you over reacted…I mean…Fai-san was young then he didn't know…and maybe…he's learnt from mistakes in his past. That's no excuse for you to hit him like you did, he's lost an eye and yet you hit him on the same side of the face." Syaoran had gone from his sitting position to standing up and glaring down at ninja.

"Maybe…but his face told a different story…his face said he enjoyed talking about it, that he enjoyed it once and he'd enjoy it again!" The tanned man met the teen's glare.

"You need to be supportive for him not turn away." Syaoran paused as he spun around, "I'm going back…I think you should re-think your actions Kurogane-san." The teen started walking the way he'd come, back to the house the group was staying in.

One of the neighbours from a few houses down was at the door looking at Sakura, Fai and Mokona with a worried face.

"Are you okay?" She asked scanning the room for anything broken.

"We're f-fin-fine…" The mage stuttered as he tried to stand, the pain on his back had made an appearance and his face stung like crazy.

"You don't look it…did your brother and you have an argument?" She tilted her head as she crossed over to check everyone over quickly.

"He's not my brother." Fai stated simply, how anyone could make that mistake was beyond belief.

"Oh…is he a friend then?" She had absolutely no idea but then again she didn't know the travelling group that well.

"Can I help you?" Syaoran's voice came from the doorway as he walked up to the nosy neighbour.

"I heard something while I was out walking, then I saw a grumpy man storm outside so I thought I'd be able to help." She stared at the teen before making her leave out the door.

"Who was she?" The teen asked still looking at the doorway.

"A neighbour who knows too much…" Sakura said as she too looked at where the neighbour had just left.

"How is he?" The blonde asked patting Mokona on the head who was looking rather upset by the turn of actions.

"Hes-" The brunette started before he was cut off by a rough hand on his shoulder.

"You two…errr…three…go find the feather…" The ninja ordered, it wasn't harsh but still came out worse than he'd wanted.

Sakura and Mokona soon followed Syaoran outside, but not too far, just far enough so they wouldn't be seen but so they could still hear.

"What do you want?" The mage turned away still holding the side of his face.

"I came to fix things…" Kurogane mumbled.

"Fix? I'm too broken to be fixed…and you proved it…" Fai stepped away slightly and started rummaging through the first-aid kit.

"You're not broken…I…" The ninja started before he was cut off by the thin man in front of him.

"You what! Wanted to say something about how stupid I am! How pathetic I was and how I still am!" It was the first real time the mage had yelled, the mask was down and it was clear why he kept his emotions hidden.

"Get a hold of yourself!" Kurogane yelled back as he grasped Fai's shoulders tightly.

"Why? It doesn't matter…not anymore…I knew you couldn't handle the truth…I knew you would lash out at me if I told you!" Tears started flowing freely and Fai made no attempt to stop them from coming.

A cold breeze swept through the room causing Fai to freeze in his spot. The little colour in his face had drained away, leaving a white empty shell.

"Please…no…" Fai muttered as he latched onto Kurogane, gripping his shirt in cold pale hands.


	12. Getting better

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Tsubasa CLAMP owns them  
**Pairings:** Slight Kuro x Fai & Slight Ashura x Fai  
**Note:** I know the previous chapter was rushed and i'm sorry for it. 

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The ninja blinked a few times, the mage had gone from yelling to crying to clutching his shirt in a few short minutes.

He'd noticed the wind but thought nothing of it; it seemed the smaller man knew something else about the wind. The thin body had started trembling slightly as the grip tightened.

"There's something coming isn't there…" Sakura stood in the doorway with Syaoran and Mokona trying to pull her back. Her eyes were sharp and serious, since her little adventure for Yuuko the princess had grown a lot. Not in height or brutal strength but bravery and courage.

Kurogane shrugged as best as he could with the mage clinging to him. Thinking back on the past few days, the mage hadn't drunk any blood and still had an amazing strength.

"My king…my home…my power…my friend…" Fai muttered into the fabric. His voice was muffled but could be heard clearly in the silence. He stepped back a few paces and kept his head low.

"He taught me everything…about emotions…about magic…about friendship and power…and I ran…ran when he needed me…" The blonde's voice was quiet and pained.

"Why is he coming for you then?" Syaoran asked as he stepped beside the princess.

"I left him…I went against all I swore to…" Fai shook his head, he wouldn't cry again. Not when his dear friend and king was coming.

"You're not going to tell us how you two grew so close?" Kurogane felt a strange feeling and it obviously showed in his voice too.

"After he met me the next day he took me to the palace. The high magician had recently fallen ill and they needed a replacement." Fai glanced up with his single ice blue eye.

"So you agreed?" Sakura was taken back a bit, she'd thought Fai had done something wrong but everything she'd heard seemed to be good.

"Of course I agreed. I was meant to be there anyway…" The magician shivered as the wind picked up a bit.

"Are you going to say more…" Syaoran gave a small glare to the warrior in front of him.

"You need not know of it Syaoran-kun you have more important things to worry about. The clone is in this world…for how long I do not know…you better get searching…" Fai gave a small smile to the two teens and the white creature with them.

"Fai…I…" Kurogane hated words; they took to long to be said and actually make sense.

"Don't worry about it…" Fai replied quietly.

_The palace was a large ice castle floating above the city. Its wing like structures captured the lights above. _

_It made the whole town, even the land, shine brightly._

_The blonde had been asked to take up the position of high magician, which he eagerly accepted. He wasn't sure whether it was because of the magic or because he wanted to be closer to the prince._

_Either way Ashura was pleased as much as he was. Both of them were sitting on one of the balconies staring down at the ground._

"_Fai...you know you'll have to have markings…" the prince muttered._

"_I don't mind your highness." Fai had been shocked when Ashura had told him that he was the prince. It made a lot of sense but was still a shock._

"_You didn't call me that before I told you and I don't want you to start now." Ashura laughed lightly as be brushed a few bangs out of the blonde's face._

"_True…true…if I do take up this will I be away often?" Fai moved slightly closer to the other teen._

"_Maybe…but mostly you'll be in the palace next to me." The raven haired prince smiled, his smile was warm unlike most peoples in the land._

_The door opened slightly as one of the servants nervously entered carrying some clothes._

"_I think you better get changed if you're going to stay here." Ashura took the blonde by the hand and led him towards the center of the room._

"_We don't want to spoil your looks with rags." _

_Fai smiled and tilted his head slightly._

Syaoran had returned with no luck and had seemingly lost Sakura and Mokona. The teen said that a wind had blown across the town and unsettled the dust, when it cleared the princess and bun were missing.

"How are we meant to find them?" Kurogane sighed; he was getting a rather large headache. He hadn't hit Fai again, looking at the mage when he spoke the face didn't show the emotions he thought he'd seen.

A sharp scream filled the air and made the dark haired man and the brunette jump. Fai knew exactly what it was though.

"What was that? Where did it come from?" Syaoran glanced around for any signs of danger.

"You wont find it…the scream wasn't a scream at all. It was an alarm and hopefully she'll be safe in her current form…" Fai trailed off already regretting saying what he had.

"Chii, that's who it was…wasn't it." Kurogane muttered turning the crimson eyes on the pale man.

"How did you know?" The blue eye met the crimson ones and held the stare.

"Lucky guess…" The ninja replied.

Syaoran stormed off again to try and find his new princess. Despite only just meeting her in person he had the same protection streak. Nothing would change his mind so they didn't bother with stopping him.

_A scream…pain…blood…_

_Fai knew he'd gone way over his head when he'd tried to cast a simple spell. His magic was too powerful and out of control so the markings had to be enforced. _

_The design was the seal of the royal family and all royal magicians were to carry it. Of course it wasn't meant to hurt, not like this. _

_A spell had to be included for the markings to work as a binding, they would help keep control but the pain was far worse than the blonde had thought it would be._

_He lay on his stomach with the sheet up to his waist. His back stung and made his body ache._

_Fai laughed lightly at how he had underestimated the pain. The door opened slightly as the raven haired prince slipped into the room._

"_Fai…I" He began._

"_Don't worry about it. I should of thought it would be painful." Fai smiled and patted the side of the bed._

_Ashura crossed the room and sat beside his pained friend, friend wasn't really the word they were closer than that._

"_You shouldn't have felt this pain…" Ashura ruffled the blonde's hair with a sad smile on his face. "How about if you're feeling up to it we'll go into the castle grounds and look for foxes." _

"_I'd like that." Fai smiled and wrapped a free arm around the prince's waist. "I'd like that more than anything…"_

Syaoran walked up to the top of a hill exhausted. He'd wandered around for age and still hadn't found Sakura. He slumped down to the ground and looked utterly defeated.

"Syaoran-kun!" A voice called out causing the teen to look up. Coming up the hill was the princess, the ninja and the mage. All seemed happy, everything seemed right.

Even the new brunette knew something was coming, but all that mattered was to be friends for a little longer.


	13. Trying to escape

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Tsubasa CLAMP owns them  
**Pairings:** None this chapter  
**Note:** I know this was put together quickly and if there are any problems with it please tell me and i'll re-write this chapter when I get back from my 3 day break. I've had a lot of coursework so i'm sorry for the delay 

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Sakura and Mokona had found out that there was no feather in this world and infact a giant creature had fallen down and emitted waves of power, exactly like a feather would.

Never the less Syaoran insisted the group stayed a little longer in the world until Fai was fully healed.

"No! We should go…as fast as we can don't worry about me." Fai objected the moment the teen had suggested the idea. His smile firmly on his face.

"Fai-san…you're not well enough…if we land in a dangerous place…" The young princess trailed off into silence, no one wanted to say what could happen.

"If you go like that then you'll slow us down." The ninja finished for the group, he knew that the mage would be in favour of going even if it meant death. "No matter what you think, no matter what you say we're not going. That's final."

"Kuro-daddy is better now." Mokona piped in. Even the ninja had to admit that as the journey went on he was lightening up to the other, yet the names weren't about to make him admit it.

"Shut it you white bun!" He snapped grabbing the white creature by the ears, making it squeak in a very high pitched voice.

"Fai-san?" Sakura watched as the mage started to walk off. She was about to follow when Syaoran gripped her arm slightly and stopped her. He shook his head.

"Leave him be. You better go bun." Kurogane slid down the side of the tree and let the white being bounce after his best friend and partner in the naming rounds.

"Did we upset Fai-san?" Sakura lowered her slightly and tried to keep herself from crying.

"Not at all…he told me something while you were gone…" Kurogane muttered from his place against the tree.

"_Kurogane…what would happen if I were to go?" The mage sat up against the tree with his eyes shut and one of his coats by his side._

"_How do you mean?" The ninja asked opening one of his eyes to stare at the pale man. Fai had been acting a little off for awhile now and it made the ninja wonder if this was the real Fai. The one behind the mask._

"_If I were to just get up and go off somewhere." Fai explained as he rolled onto his side to look at the tanned man beside him._

"_I guess the kids would go looking for you with that bun. I'd just be pissed off that you went against everything I did for you without repaying me." Kurogane sighed slightly, he really hated these talks. The last one he'd had was one with Tomoyo about if she went missing._

"_Hmmm…" The flaxen mage mumbled and flipped back onto his back. "I guess we all think differently then."_

"_We'd do something. Unlike you…thinking we'd sit around and shrug it off. You'd have to be an idiot to think that." The ninja muttered as he tried to fall asleep again._

"_Maybe so…but…maybe…" The ninja had only caught parts of what Fai had said before he drifted off._

"So he wants us to go?" Syaoran asked slightly worried about the fact that Fai brought up those types of things when him and Sakura weren't around.

"He wants to prove a point I guess…It doesn't fuss me…besides I'm sure that bun will be enough help to that idiot without us around." Kurogane grunted.

Sakura gave a worried look to the brunette who returned it.

"Fai! Fai!" The white creature waddled and bounced its way after the mage who was walking particularly fast and wasn't about to stop.

"Mokona go back." Fai carried on walking picking up the pace slightly.

"Fai! Fai!" Mokona yelled back still attempting to keep up.

"I said go back!" The magician yelled as he broke into a run along the pathway.

"Fai!...Fai!" Mokona yelled as it still tried to catch up with the blonde's man. "Fai!..."

'_Stupid conscience. Stupid Conscience.' _Fai muttered as his mind forced him to slow down till he eventually stopped. Allowing the white ball to catch up and leap up to his shoulder.

"Fai…why…did….Fai run…?" Mokona panted by the mage's ear.

"Because you shouldn't of come Mokona…." Fai let the smile slip slightly back onto his features as he started walking with the new passenger. The paths twisted and turned into a small wooded area.

"Did Mokona do something wrong?" Mokona asked after a while of silence.

"No Mokona you didn't. I'm just testing something that's all…" The platinum haired male smiled brightly at the creature who smiled back.

The two continued to walk until the reach a fork in the path, Fai pulled a device from his pocket and checked it by holing it up to the small patches of light. Rainbow patterns filtered through the object to leave patterns on the ground which twisted every time Fai moved the device.

When he nodded the mage place the device back into his pocket before carrying on down one of the paths.

"Mokona, when we get to the clearing I need to speak with Yuuko…" Pain started to fill Fai's body starting from his lower back and climbing up to his face. Kurogane had been right he wasn't up to travelling, and his clothes were really starting to rub against the wounds of his back making them bleed slightly again.

"Puu…" Mokona let its ears drop as it yawned slightly. "Are the others going to come?" The little one questioned.

"I don't know Mokona…maybe…I doubt our friend will though…we're not exactly on good ground at the moment." Fai pondered for a moment before falling silent.

"Good ground? What happened?" Mokona was full of questions after spending what seemed like years away from the mage.

"Lets say I take a step forward and the he makes me fall back to the bottom…" Fai couldn't stop the sad expression on his face.

"Why is Fai sad?" Mokona spoke after awhile of walking in silence with the magician. "Yuuko always said you have to be broken down to be built up better."

"I'm sad because I have a lot on my mind...I guess…" The blonde smiled and tilted his head slightly.

"Please stop lying Fai…" Mokona looked down slightly from its perch on the blonde's shoulder. "Mokona knows it because of Mokona's special technique."

"Hmm…" Fai mumbled absent-mindedly.

"Is Fai worried about his friend finding him?" Mokona asked hopping into Fai's hood. The white creature curled up and yawned again being soothed by the slight bouncing movement every time the mage walked.

"Yes. I guess I am Mokona…."


	14. Fai i'm sorry

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Tsubasa CLAMP owns them  
**Pairings:** Slight Kuro x Fai  
**Notes:** Next chapter gets very interesting just wait for it. 

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"Kurogane-san! Should we go find Fai-san and Mokona?" The brunette boy called out from his place on the hill.

"Do what you want." The ninja grunted as he continued on his walk down the hill. Right now he really didn't want anything to do with the magician or anyone for that matter.

"Syaoran-kun…will Kurogane-san be alright?" the princess asked quietly as she watched the older man.

"I don't know hime…I'm more worried about Fai-san…" Syaoran replied as he turned his attention to the trail the blonde and the white creature had taken moments go.

"Hes not up for this is he…" Sakura walked behind her companion and sighed sadly. Everyone was breaking part and she was once again useless when her friends needed her.

"Let's go after Kurogane-san instead." The teen smiled slightly at the girl behind him who nodded.

"How long was I asleep for?" Mokona rubbed its eyes slightly and looked around from its current place in a fluffy hood. "Fai?"

"You're up then Moko-chan" Fai appeared from behind a few trees carrying a few plants in his hand.

"Where are we?" The white creature bounced up to the mage and stared up at blonde.

"We're safe that's all that matters…you should go back to Syaoran-kun and the others I'm sure they're worried. Besides…" The blue eyed mage trailed of into silence.

"Fai…" Mokona hopped up to the mage's shoulder and patted his blonde head with a stubby paw. "Why are you sad…you don't need to be sad...you should have fun. Everyone should."

"Maybe Mokona but not everything is so easy. Anyway we'll stay here for a bit after all I'm sure the others need sometime alone." Fai smiled and even he had to admit it was the fakest one he'd ever come up with.

"Puu" Mokona nodded and bounced down to help move things around.

"Mokona…I used to think Kurogane was the worst but you and Sakura are even harder…" Fai muttered as he looked up trying to see the sky through the thick tree branches. The trees started spinning and closing in until all light was gone and only darkness remained.

"Kurogane-san…what if Fai-san is injured?" Sakura asked the grumpy ninja who was currently trying to drown out the questions with his third bottle of sake.

"He shouldn't have gone off by himself. He wants to prove a point and its best he let him do it." The dark haired man gulped down half of his bottle.

"Prove?" Syaoran asked. He pondered on the thought for few moments, "Fai-san wants someone to go after him then…" He spoke slowly.

Kurogane grunted, "Or he'll come back when he wants to." He glanced across to the princess who was looking rather agitated, a look that had never appeared on her face before. "You're not going." The ninja stated simply.

"But…" Sakura knew it was pretty useless to argue after all the warrior was atleast twice her size and probably around ten times her strength.

The ninja sighed as he placed his empty bottle down; he was truly a sucker when it came to princesses. Tomoyo had always been able to wrap him round her little finger and it seems Sakura would be able to do that soon too.

"I'll be back."

"_Fai…wake up Fai!" a voice in the dark called out to the blonde from all directions. He'd heard that voice before but could think from where._

"Fai…Wake up Fai!" A shrill voice called out as something small poked his arm. "Fai!"

The mage lept up and glanced around to see the white bun staring at him and looking very worried.

"Fai…" The white creature relaxed a bit.

"What happened Mokona?" The blonde clutched his head where it was throbbing slightly.

"You started acting funny then fell down…" Mokona hopped up to perch on the thin man's knee.

"Ahh…" Fai mumbled silently to himself.

"_Fai…Fai…Fai!" _

"Did you just hear something Mokona?" Fai looked around for a person, a person he knew.

"No…" Mokona tilted its head in confusion.

"Oi Bun, Fai!"

"Mokona heard that though. That was Kuro-pun. KURO-OP!" The bun jumped up and down on its perch facing the direction of the voice.

"_Fai…I know you can hear me…"_

The ninja pushed past few trees and into the clearing to see the mage laying on the ground with the white bun bouncing on him.

"Get off him you fat roll!" The raven haired man gripped the half rabbit creature off its perch and flung it to the side.

"Kuro-Puu is mean!" it wailed from the bushes.

"You okay?" The ninja crouched down next to the blonde who'd turned to a ghostly white and was shaking slightly. His pale blue eye was threatening to cry at any moment.

Kurogane reached out a hand slightly and touched the lanky blonde on his shoulder causing the smaller man to tense.

"_Fai…I'm sorry…"_

"It's too late…" Fai muttered as the darkness started to grip his mind again.

"Fai!" Three voices called out, two panicked and one in pain.


	15. Chains

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Tsubasa CLAMP owns them  
**Pairings:** KuroxFai  
**Notes: **Okay it didn't turn out quite as I expected it to but your the readers so you tell me how I did... 

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"_I'm sorry…but it has to be done…"_

"_Why? Why…? Please don't! He hasn't done anything it wasn't his fault!"_

"_I'm sorry but this is how it must be." _

The words were clear and the mage was sure he'd heard them before, he just couldn't remember where he'd heard them or when.

A scream soon followed but it wasn't part of the previous conversation and Fai knew exactly who had cried out.

"Chii!" The room snapped into focus as the blonde sat bolt upright sweating and breathing heavily.

The two teens were holding the white creature back before it could latch onto the magician. A hand touched the thin man's shoulder lightly, without turning Fai knew it was the ninja.

"Here." The red eyed man placed a drink on the table in front of him before sitting down in the seat nearby. Mokona had wriggled free and bounced slowly up to the magician before tilting its head and looking at Kurogane. The ninja nodded slightly.

"Who's Chii?" The white creature asked s it hopped onto the table to get a better view of Fai's face.

"Chii…is…I mean was…a friend…" The blonde let his head fall to let some hair cover his face. He refused to cry in front of the children, atleast not Sakura.

"Was? What happened to her?" the white being pressed on not realising or not caring about consequences.

"S-she…her…life was taken…" The mage stammered as he glanced up at the bun that nodded and hopped back to the safety of Sakura and Syaoran.

"_Fai…I-I can't...Father wont…I'm sorry…"_

Fai gripped his head as repressed memories came back. He'd tried a long time ago to forget that part of his past but now it seemed to be coming back to haunt him.

"I-I'm rather tired…" The blonde announced as he took his drink and headed upstairs for the safety of his own room.

Syaoran looked at the ninja who mumbled something and left after the smaller companion.

"Fai…why won't you tell them…" Mokona muttered causing both children to exchange worried and confused glances.

"_I want to die…I want to die…"_

The magician remembered wishing for his own death several times even when he started travelling he wished that. Now he had friends who wanted to know him he couldn't bring himself to tell anyone.

"You okay?" A gruff voice came through the door.

"Yeah…" Fai muttered back as the black haired man came through the door.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Kurogane shut the door behind him and walked over to the blonde. "You're only hurting yourself you know."

"I know. For so long I wanted to die and now…I don't know what I want…" Fai turned his head away from the other man. "You always made fun of me. Said I looked like a girl if only you knew…"

"Are you implying something?" The ninja raised an eyebrow in question as he sat down on the floor next to the bed.

"My hair. It used to be longer." Fai laughed softly, "When I was held…"

"Held?" The raven haired man looked up at the man on the bed.

"Captive of sorts…." Came the muffled reply through a pillow.

_The guards grabbed the thin teen and pulled him through various hallways. Of all the places Fai had gone with the prince he'd never been anywhere near where he now was. The walls had various scratches and markings on them some where numbers and measurements while others were simple prayers._

_The blonde was eventually taken into a large room where the king and prince were. Prince Ashura had red mark on the side of his face and his normally dark eyes were slightly red. _

"_Fai…I'm so sorry…I tried really I did…" The prince cried out while his father kept firm grip on his arm._

"_What's going on Ashura? Why am I here?" Fai asked from where he was being held. _

"_You're here for what you have done. Your bad luck Fai…bad luck for the kingdom so we're sealing you." The king's voice rung clearly in his mind as his eyes widened in horror._

"_Sealing me?!" Fai began to struggle against the guards grip but was failing miserably. _

_The young blonde was lifted into a crystal like energy which began to freeze against his body. _

"_Fai! I promise one day you'll be out!" Ashura screamed as he was dragged out of the room while various magicians set to work on charms and spells._

"_Ashura!"_

"Why were you sealed?" The ninja held the blonde's head on his lap stroking the platinum locks.

"They said I was bad luck. Nothing else. I don't know what I did." Fai replied.

"Is that why you don't want anyone getting close to you?" The ninja fell back onto the bed.

"Yes…Ever since that day I never wanted anyone near me so close incase I did something…" The blue eye stared up at the ceiling.

"The kids were worried when I brought you back. That white bun didn't stop wailing the whole walk back." Kurogane smirked slightly remembering how badly Mokona had reacted.

"Maybe…" The blonde muttered closing the ice blue orb.

"No maybes. It happened. You can't have maybes about something that happened." The raven haired man pulled on the blonde hair lightly.

"Did Sakura and Syaoran find a feather?" Fai asked with a small smile on his lips.

"No. Yuuko called and said something about us all having the same enemy though…" The warrior trailed off as he felt the mage stiffen slightly.

"I see…" The mage paused slightly before relaxing again and sitting up. "I'm hungry…" He glanced back at the man still lying down and smirked.

Fai settled down to pin the larger man onto the bed as he moved his lips up to the ninja's neck. The blonde slid a hand up to the other side of the man's neck causing the man to tense up.

"If you're going to do something then do it…" Kurogane muttered as he felt the mage's tongue slide up his neck.

"As you wish…" Fai let his sharp teeth dig into the ninja's neck causing the crimson liquid to flow.

The mage licked up the liquid as it flew out freely into his mouth.

"I guess its start…" Kurogane sighed slightly as he held the blonde head slightly closer.

"_Blood helps to make and destroy bonds…"_


	16. Making things new

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Tsubasa CLAMP owns them  
**Pairings:** Slight Kuro x Fai  
**Notes: **Don't forget writers love cookies and love you reading other things they write... 

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Sakura kept a firm grip on the little bun who was trying to get up the stairs to see the magician. It kept crying about something but its words were lost amongst fresh tears. The princess was still rather shocked at how much the little creature could cry.

"Hime…maybe you should let it go if it wants to…" The teen who was standing across the room spoke quietly.

Sakura nodded slightly and released her grip on Mokona, who almost flew up the staircase.

"Syaoran-kun…" Sakura muttered as she watched the teen that was starting to make hot drinks. "Do you think things will get better?" She eventually asked.

"Maybe. After all you have to be broken down before you can be built up again. I'm sure Fai-san will be on the mend soon." Syaoran carefully brought two cups into the room and set one down in front of the princess.

Sakura smiled slightly and nodded as she glanced back to the stairs.

"Fai! Kuro-rin!" The white bun raced along the hallway checking various rooms for the two men. It stopped outside Kurogane's room and peeked through the door, "Kuro-pon! Fai!"

"Oh great it's you…" The ninja muttered as the white intruder jumped onto the bed, landing very close to Fai's face.

"Hello Mokona." The mage smiled up at the visitor stand by his head. "What brings you up here then?"

"Mokona was worried you two would fight again…so Mokona came up to find you two." The half rabbit creature smiled back before jumping onto the ninja's head.

"Get off my head." The ninja really couldn't be bothered to yell anymore, atleast not for the rest of that day.

"Sakura and Syaoran are waiting downstairs with hot chocolate." The bun chirped happily ignoring the warrior's request.

"Sounds good Mokona." Fai propped himself up on his elbows to get a better look around the room.

"Fai…is your face alright?" Mokona asked. The magician had a large bruise coming up on his pale face where Kurogane had hit him.

"Yeah it's fine just a bruise nothing more." Fai replied as he stretched out slightly. "Lets go join Sakura and Syaoran I'm sure they're worried." The mage stood up shakily before falling onto Kurogane's lap.

"Mommy and Daddy time!" Mokona cried out from its perch.

"Why you little lard ball!" The ninja gripped the bun by the ears and attempted to throw it but was stopped when the bun gripped his arm. "Get off me!"

Sakura was concerned when there were no sounds from up stairs after the first round of calling from Mokona. She had tried to go up as well but Syaoran had caught her wrist and made her sit down again.

Even though it wasn't _her _Syaoran they were both alike.

Yelling was soon heard from above, Mokona and Kurogane to be precise. Mokona soon rolled down the wooden boards in an attempt to get away from the raven haired man who was threatening to chop it into pieces.

"You were right…looks like things are starting to get better." Sakura smiled at the new boy who smiled back.

Fai walked down the stairs holding a hand to the side of his face. As soon as he'd reached the bottom step the mage knew the kids were watching his every move. He smiled and managed to get past the ninja and white fluff ball to reach a seat.

"Fai-san is your face alright." Sakura was always so innocent, innocent to a fault the mage pointed out. She always asked the questions he wasn't prepared for.

"Yeah just a bruise nothing that wont go down." The magician replied.

Sakura nodded and picked up Mokona before it ended up getting hurt. She kept her gaze at the floor boards not wanting to start a conversation.

"Yuuko wants to talk to us." Mokona announced as it jumped onto the princesses head.

"Oh joy another thing to get me annoyed." Kurogane sighed as he flopped back into a nearby chair.

"Greetings." The witch spoke calmly despite yelling in the background. "I take you know what's happened Fai…" She directed her attention to the magician who simply smiled back and nodded. "You know it's going to be even harder now."

"Of course. I would say I'm at a disadvantage but…I haven't gone up against _his _power so I wouldn't know." Fai turned his ice blue orbs to a spot on the floor.

"You have people to help you now. You all have to work together, you were meant to be together in these travels." Yuuko was speaking slowly and clearly, making sure every word hit home.

"I think it would be best if that didn't happen. If anyone got hurt it would be _my _fault and then we'd be at a disadvantage against this enemy." Fai replied, glancing up at the witch who smiled slightly.

"Idiot. Don't you think it'd be the same if you went off?" Kurogane spoke up glaring at the blonde man sitting next to him.

"Maybe…" The blonde let his head drop again.

"Fai-san…we'll help you…" Sakura had gotten out of her chair and stood next to the blonde magician placing her hand on his shoulder. "No mater what."

The ninja grunted his agreement while Mokona chirped on about being one big family. Syaoran kept his eyes elsewhere.

"Syaoran-kun…you'll help us too right?" The princess asked smiling slightly, the teen couldn't refuse that smile and nodded.

"Yuuko-san…if the enemy is the same for all of us why didn't you tell them sooner?" Syaoran asked thoughtfully.

"There's a time and a place for everything. That time hadn't come until recently." Yuuko explained.

Yuuko bid her farewells and soon her image had vanished. Sakura returned to her seat next to the brunette boy and Mokona settled on her lap.

"Why is Fai running then…?" Mokona wondered out loud. Syaoran and Sakura looked rather shocked at the outburst.

The thin man had tensed up and started shaking slightly. The ninja watched not knowing what else to do.

"I'm running…because something went wrong something went very wrong…" Fai announced as he stood up being caught by a firm hand on his wrist.

"No running. Not anymore." Kurogane stared up at the man who was visibly trying to keep in control of his emotions.


	17. Death

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Tsubasa CLAMP own them but I own Kaima, Desu and Chirp I can't believe I never metioned that before.  
**Pairings:** Slight Kuro x Fai 

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"_I want to die," The snow was falling outside the cell. He couldn't escape anyway since the bars and doors were sealed with magic._

"_I want to die," He gripped the bars slightly._

"_I want to die," He'd been sealed for sometime now, although he hadn't aged much his hair had grown._

"_I want to die," He could see the town from his cell, high about the ground._

"_I want to die," He sighed as he felt strength vanish from his small body again._

"_I want to die," He felt his hand slipping from the bars, "But before I die…I want someone…to love me…"_

That was a day Fai remembered all too well, even after all the years of freedom after that he still was haunted by those words. Now he was being held from running by those that cared for him, those he cared about.

"Kurogane. Please let me go." The mage spoke firmly and tried to sound harsh but he doubted his blue orb reflected that.

"You're not going off on your own. Not again." The ninja tightened his grip slightly on the small thin wrist in his grasp.

Syaoran glanced at the two adults who were just staring at eachother. He felt the princess move slightly behind him to shield herself from the men's view. Mokona watched nervously at the two companions.

Kurogane stood up and let the magician lead the way up the staircase and out of sight. They'd been doing that a lot lately, the brunette noted, they had a lot to talk about he had assumed.

"Syaoran-kun…are they going to be okay?" Sakura asked slightly before yawning into his back.

"Yes Hime… I'm sure those two are just tired and I suggest we go to bed too." The boy held out a hand for his desert princess to accept and pull herself up with.

The two made their way to the bedrooms passing the adults who seemed to just be talking and sitting. Sakura sighed slightly from relief as she saw the two; she had a slight smile on her face too which made the boy next to her smile. The two bid eachother goodnight and walked into separate rooms.

"What's wrong with you?" The ninja asked from his seat near the door. "You never let your emotions get that bad in front of those two."

"I know…" The blonde muttered as he traced a pattern on the steamed up window, "but…I've had a lot of thoughts being brought up lately…" he added.

_He'd lost count of how long he'd been in the cell. Although the teen was sure it was over a few years, seeing as once a year someone trimmed his hair. Once again the blonde locks had grown far too long for any normal boy. Then again he wasn't exactly normal._

_The door clicked open. The blonde didn't bother to look up from his spot on the floor, so many people came in and out he'd given up trying to talk to them. _

"_Fai…?" The teen knew that voice. It wasn't the normal grunting or complaining that came into the room. _

"_Kaima-san?" Fai sat up hoping that his ears weren't playing tricks on him. Indeed the old lady was standing there staring at the boy with chirp on her shoulder._

"_You got caught then…" She made her way over and crouched next to the blonde._

"_Not quite…I made it into the city and met Ashura and he took me to his father." Fai started but was quickly silenced by a frail hand._

"_You were caught. This is where you were meant to end up. Have faith little one, things will look up." She always had a way with words around little children._

"_Kaima…where have you been all this time?" Fai asked staring up at the witch._

"_I've been around little one just doing my work." She answered while sinking to sit on the floor._

"_How has everyone been? How is Desu?" He hadn't spoken to anyone in the village since he left._

"_I'm afraid I have some bad news Fai…that is why I'm here…" The witch sighed and pulled something out of her pocket. "The village was destroyed…" She paused before carrying on, "Your friend Desu…she died the day you left…I'm sorry Fai…"_

"_Your wrong…you're pulling my leg aren't you…" Fai shook his head not wanting to listen, he'd known that Desu was ill but hadn't expected her to die. "When did she know…"_

"_Desu knew for awhile…she should have been inside that day but I told her about you leaving and she wanted to say goodbye." Kaima explained laying a hand on the blonde's shoulder while holding something out with the other, "She said she wanted you to have this." _

_Fai took what was from the witch, it was a small whistle with a phoenix carved into it. Chirp hopped up and down on its perch chirping quietly. _

"_I must be off Fai…I'll leave chirp with someone I know here. She'll take good care of it." The old woman got to her feet and waved goodbye before being escorted out of the room. _

_Fai turned back to the whistle and rolled it in his fingers, he'd seen it before but couldn't remember where._

"Do you still have the whistle?" The ninja asked.

"Not anymore, I lost to awhile back. It was worth it though…" Fai slid from his seat and climbed onto the bed. "All my life I've been told to look at the bigger picture…when you're trapped for so long you give up hope…" He curled up under the covers and flicked off the light.

"I'll be back in a bit…" The warrior muttered as he exited the room to nearly stand on something round.

"Kuro-rin…" The creature's voice was a sad and probably at the verge of tears.

"Oi Mokona…don't tell the kids about it. Got it?" The ninja commented as it watched the ball waddle into the princess room.

"I won't tell them…" It said before closing the room.

Kurogane could hear it hop onto the bed and curl up he waited until silence washed over the house before going down to get a drink.

He'd spotted the small bird asleep on the windowsill when he'd gone to the fridge. The ninja left a bowl of water out for it before shutting the fridge door again.

"What is it with him and creatures…?" Kurogane muttered as he walked back upstairs. He'd let Fai sleep in his bed tonight and stop him tomorrow he thought.


	18. One day

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Tsubasa at all CLAMP owns it all  
**Pairings:** Slight Kuro x Fai  
**Notes: **I'm so sorry its been ages since an update and I have a feeling one or two of you are slightly angry at me. I had a lot of classwork and I was making an AMV...sorry for the delay...I forgot all about it...I need a timekeeper one of these days. 

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"_One of these days I swear…I'll get back everything…one of these days…" The voice was clear and filled the silence of the room. After being trapped for so long his mind was becoming slightly unstable. No one came in or out of the room anymore, they just slid things through the door._

"_One of these days…"_

Kurogane could feel the light on his face before being replaced by something long. He grunted and muttered about the bad condition of the curtains, if you could call them that, and how his nose hurt. The ninja brought an arm up to shield his eyes from the bright light to find a long, pale arm across his face.

The magician turned slightly on the floor where he'd rolled onto, removing his arm from the ninja's face. He muttered something while turning onto his front again, sliding slightly under the bed.

"Stupid idiot." The raven haired man yawned before getting a good look at the position the mage was in. The blonde had managed to get his head firmly wedged under the bed, with his hair caught on the springs. Kurogane sighed and turned to the door as a little white visitor poked inside.

"Fai! Kuro-pon!" It cried as it tried to jump across the room, only to land on the grumpy male's face.

"Moko-chan you shouldn't barge into their room." Sakura muttered as she made an attempt to grab the little bun only to fail and fall across the ninja's waist. "S-so-sorry…K-Kurogane-san…" She stammered as she scrambled back to a safe distance by the newly awoken Syaoran.

"Fai!" The bun cried out again.

"Huh?" The mage had obviously just woken up by the tone of his voice. Soon a loud thump came from where the blonde's head had made contact with an iron pole. "Owwwwww…" He moaned while trying to rub his head, only to catch more of his hair in the springs. Fai muttered something in his native language which the group assumed were curses to the bed.

"Fai's all caught up." Mokona remarked as it ventured to try and help infuriated magician.

Kurogane groaned and fell back onto the floor, he always hated mornings but this was possibly the worst he'd had. Sakura smiled at the group even with Fai calling out various things from under a bed and Kurogane trying to fall through the floor, the group had never been closer.

"Breakfast I think." She announced and dragged her brunette friend down the stairs, hitting each step with a thud.

"Mokona that's hurts." Fai wailed as the white creature attempted to free his friend again.

"Mokona can't do it…" The bun crawled out from under the bed and stared at the tall man.

"Fine...You go eat and I'll sort him out…" Kurogane huffed as it watched the roly-poly bun waddle out. "I thought you didn't move in your sleep."

"I don't…I was awake all right…then I got lonely…" The muffled reply came.

The ninja rolled his eyes and stood up next to the old bed. "Don't wail and make sure you sit up slightly." He ordered before lifting on side of the bed up to see the mage had well and truly got complete stuck.

"I hate bed springs now…" Fai whined as the ninja started trying to untangle the blonde locks from the metal coils.

Kurogane laughed slightly at the magician who was pouting with his arms folded.

"Next time don't roll around the floor." The raven haired man remarked. Fai snorted at the idea. "You're all done now."

"Thanks…" Fai reached out a wrapped his arms around the taller man, hugging him slightly. "It means a lot…" He whispered into the man's neck.

"Just don't get used to it around the kids." The ninja's voice was softer than normal.

"Fai-san! Kurogane-san!" Syaoran called up the stairs.

"I'm starving!" Fai leapt to his feet, dragging a shocked warrior with him, and raced down the stairs.

"You're sure hungry Fai-san." Sakura noted as she handed the plates out before taking her seat next to Syaoran.

"I guess you could say that Sakura-chan." Fai smiled brightly at the now beaming princess.

'If those two were smiling any more they'd be able to light up a whole town' the ninja thought as he watched the Mother-daughter pair from his seat.

Mokona was busy stuffing its mouth with various foods from the many dishes that were laid out.

"Are you going out to look?" Kurogane asked the teen who was quietly reading a book he'd found in the house.

"Yes. Mokona said it was moving closer and I think its best to find it then get out of here." Syaoran replied from behind his book.

"Are you two coming?" Sakura asked, glancing Fai up and down, with a worried look.

"I think its best we don't." Fai replied with a slight look of regret in his eyes. His smile had dropped to a weak one.

"I think so too." The princess agreed as she gave the mage a reassuring smile.

"Syaoran! Sakura! It's moving!" Mokona called out as the two teens were leaving the home. It jumped up and down on the girl's shoulder while pointing in a various direction.

"We'll be back later." Syaoran bowed as he led the princess and the 'pea' along the path.

"So Kurogane…you want to talk about something right?" Fai held the little bird on his index finger while feeding it a few bread crumbs with his free hand.

"Maybe…" The ninja spoke absent mindedly as he watched the last glimpses of the group leave over the hill. "…It depends what your about to do." The dark haired male fell into a nearby chair.

"Hmmm…" Fai agreed as he watched the small feathered friend hop along the counter. "I guess it does…" The magician gave his companion a sly smile before walking up to the chair.

The bird chirped merrily as it hopped into a bowl of water, glancing at the two in the room.

"You like birds then…" Kurogane muttered as he looked up at the blonde.

"One of my close friends used to have a bird. Birds are free, they don't worry about trivial things, and they just fly on if they don't like a place…" The mage replied before sliding onto the ninja's lap and wrapping his arms around the taller man's neck. "I'd love to be a bird…" He whispered into the dark haired man's ear.

"Maybe you can one day. You can be free and go where you want." Kurogane smirked slightly as the bird flew across the room to land on Fai's hand.

"Someday…"

"No one of these days you will…I swear…"


	19. So cold

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Tsubasa CLAMP owns them  
**Pairings:** Ashura x Fai  
**Note: **I have a feeling this chapter is going to end up being really confusing for you readers. 

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"I wonder if Syaoran-kun and Sakura-chan have found anything yet." Fai called from the open kitchen. The two had been waiting for several hours with no news from the younger members of the group.

The small bird was chirping away next to the sink.

Kurogane grunted as he flicked through the paper again, he couldn't read any of it but it was better than nothing.

"And how would they contact us exactly?" The ninja questioned as he closed the paper and rolled onto his back.

"Who knows…I just…I just thought they'd be back sooner." The mage was staring at a dark stain on the wall as he placed a few plates into the drying rack. "I hope they're okay…"

"They're mentally stable." The dark haired man muttered as he watched the other prance around carrying large piles of dishes.

"And I'm not? You try having no contact with people and then lets see if you say the same thing." The blonde retorted.

"Why didn't you just escape?" The ninja propped himself up by his elbows. "After all if you had that amount of power no one would stop you."

"Who said I didn't try…" Fai glanced back over his shoulder at the other man.

_The place was well guarded with gates and traps at every turn, despite knowing every trap that may be placed the teen decided he'd had enough. Fai was used to being patient and waiting but this was too much._

_He'd managed to escape into the main hall which was empty. Having not past a window the blonde had no idea what time it was. He did notice that something was moving behind him though._

"_Fai?" The young prince rubbed his eyes slightly as he approached the blonde, "What are you doing? How did you get out?" _

"_I'm escaping. The place is easy to escape during change over times." Fai explained._

"_You'll be hunted down." The prince looked shocked and hurt at the idea._

"_I need to see my village…see what state it's in. I need to find Kaima. Please…" The young mage pleaded as he gripped hold of Ashura's hands. "Please…"_

"_Well…I couldn't get you into the courtyard…but…if you get caught…" Ashura couldn't bring himself to think of the idea._

"_If I get caught then your father will make things worse. I know that…" The blonde smiled slightly._

"_I'll help…just promise you'll come back when I take the throne." The young prince smiled sadly. _

"_I promise." Fai smiled back slightly._

_The prince led his friend through the rest of the hallways until they reached the main exit to the courtyard. The palace was silent and the guards were no where to be seen, which didn't make things seem right. Several times the blonde had wanted to return back to his cell, just to have a calm feeling. An unknown feeling washed over the teen when they'd reached the gates. _

_Fai placed a kiss on the young teen's lips before bidding him farewell._

"_I have a bad feeling…" Fai muttered._

"_Just take care…" Ashura gently brushed a few blonde bangs out of the other's face. "And remember I'll be waiting for you."_

_The young magician nodded and started to walk across the courtyard. There was a rustling in the few snow-covered bushes. _

_The prince gave out a muffled cry causing Fai to whip around to see the king silencing his son._

"_I thought you'd try something like this." The king spoke spitefully as he pushed the prince onto the cold floor. "This time you'll stay put."_

_Fai shook his head and backed away for every step the king took forward. The king managed to grab his shirt and lifted him easily off the ground. _

"_Make sure my son is kept in his room until I give orders otherwise." The monarch snapped as he dragged the blonde back to his prison._

_He'd seen Ashura's face, he'd never looked so sad even on the brink of breaking down he never cried. Fai assumed his father had taught him that trick. It was the last time he saw Ashura look like that; he'd looked so pure and innocent._

_The blonde had been forced to drink a foul liquid that made his body freeze up and stiffen as the room swirled into black._

"Yet you run from other things?" Kurogane raised an eyebrow slightly.

"I have my reasons…" Fai trailed off when he heard the door opening. "Welcome back."

"Thank goodness…We thought they'd gotten to you two…" Sakura sighed in relief.

"Yuuko contacted us." Mokona hopped onto the brunette boy's shoulder, "She said we have to move on."

"We got the feather." Syaoran added.

"Why do we…?" The ninja was cut off from his sentence when the image of the dimension witch appeared.

"Why you ask? Fai's wish was to never return home correct?" The witch asked and everyone nodded, "No one ever said that home was a place." Yuuko added.

"What the?!" Kurogane was utterly confused by the statement and turned to the mage stand just behind him.

"Home can be a person…but you and I both know I didn't mean it that way…" Fai's voice wasn't its usual bright and bubbly self.

"Correct. Still…I'm giving you this chance to run a bit further. Take it or leave it." The witch leant back in her chair and smirked slightly.

"We'll take it." The dark haired man said suddenly.

"Kurogane…I don't want you to make decisions for me." Fai snapped.

"We can debate on that matter in another world." The ninja waved his hand at the witch.

"So…it shall be done" Yuuko said before her image was gone.

Mokona jumped into the air spreading its wings as it prepared to move the group onto another world. Fai glared at the taller man, resisting the urge to try and kill him atleast until the next world.

As the group vanished from the world a few soldiers glared at the small building.

"Ashura-ou…he's gone."

In the cold ice palace the ice king swirled a glass of wine in his fingers. The room was bare, no servants, no life, only a body of a girl laying motionless on the stone floor.

"Fai D. Flowright…"


	20. Shattered pieces

**Disclaimer:** CLAMP owns this not me  
**Pairings:** Slight KuroxFai 

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Three months had passed in record time this new world was literally all a giant game. A battle of wills now meant life or death, in this new world. The twisted game of chess seemed to consume all personal lives that once were.

In those 3 months many things had changed…

The group arrived to a destroyed world, rubble laying everywhere and smoke filling the air. One could barely call it a world it was more like a doomed planet that had lost all life. Sakura was the first to notice the motion of people under the cement.

"Guys, there's someone over there." The young girl made her way over the rubble to find a small girl weeping.

"Why? If only that feather…if only it wasn't here! If it wasn't…he never would have come!" An older woman walked over to almost drag the girl away from the strange group.

"The feather…" Sakura gasped as she slowly sat down on one of the nearby rocks.

"…my clone…" The brunette boy added placing a hand on the princesses' shoulder. "…it's my fault…"

Fai and Kurogane watched from a distance with Mokona who was being rather quiet.

"Hurt…" The white creature muttered as it watched the two teens that had fallen into silence. "Everyone…hurts…" Fai let the small being drop onto the floor and bounce over to the two teens.

"Kurogane…we need to talk." Fai kept his face out of view as he turned to walk away.

The ninja grunted as he followed the mage.

"Don't tell me. You're angry at me." Kurogane rested against a standing slab of cement as he watched the magician sit on a pile of bricks.

"Why would you think that?" Fai muttered.

"You've been that way since I saved your life, why not now?" The ninja shrugged slightly.

"You should have let me die. I've already said that many times. Is it so wrong to want to die in your eyes?" Fai paused as he bowed his head slightly, "Is it so wrong to want to disappear. You know as well as I do that as soon as we part ways I'll find a way."

"I'm trying to show you something. Show you how to live, for you, not for someone else." Kurogane let his eyes trail away from the mage to find a point on an old building. "If you want to die I'll do it."

"You won't. I know you won't. You won't kill me just like I won't hurt you in front of the kids." Fai spoke coldly.

"I promised I'd do it and I don't intend to break a promise." The raven haired man turned to glance back at the blonde. "I won't break a promise to you."

"Yeah right…" Fai muttered bitterly thinking about how many promises had been broken to him. "That's what everyone says. That's what _I _used to say. It never happens."

"Is it so hard for you to trust me?" Kurogane asked, " I'll do it…"

"Then why haven't you done it yet? Why are you keeping me alive?" Fai leapt from his seat glaring at his companion, "I want to die! I want to…"

"Fai-san…?" Sakura stood nervously peering around one of the pillars.

"I-I…" The mage slowly backed away and sat down again, resting his hand over his eyes.

"Fai-san…please…we don't want you to go…we need you…" The princess sat next to the blonde, "I need you to help me…please…"

"Sakura-chan…I can't…I've done so much wrong in my life…I shouldn't still be alive…" The mage was trembling slightly as he spoke, trying to fight back the tears. He refused to break down, not now.

"Fai-san…" Sakura wrapped her arms around the magician and laid her head on his shoulder gently. "Your past doesn't matter to me. I just want to help make things right."

"Kid you find something out?" The ninja glanced at the silent boy who nodded in return. "What did you find?"

"There's a tournament here. It involves using will power to control other people." Syaoran explained while keeping his gaze on the princess. "Sakura…-hime…decided she'd be the master."

"Master?" Kurogane raised an eyebrow at the younger male.

"She has a strong will power. A master needs a strong will to let the 'pieces' use all their power and ability." The brunette paused to think something over, "It involves a lot of physical fighting as well as mental power."

"What's the prize?" The dark haired man stretched slightly.

"We're not sure yet. No one would tell us. We found a place to stay and train for this contest." Syaoran motioned to a building in the distance. "The owner said he'd be able to teach us a few things."

Kurogane nodded slightly.

"All for one and one for all!" Mokona exclaimed as it jumped around on the stone. It came to rest on Fai's knee rocking from side to side humming a tune.

Sakura scooped up the white fluff ball as she walked over to her new Syaoran. They started walking ahead talking about small things.

Kurogane caught Fai's arm as he walked past.

"Do you hate us that much?" The dark haired man asked quietly making sure the others couldn't hear.

"No…I care about you so much…I just don't want to cause you harm." Fai wriggled his arm free. "I told you what happened to my old friend…she ended up dead because of me…"

"You'll hurt us more if you break away and distance yourself." Kurogane almost whispered.

"I'm already broken into a thousand pieces Kurogane…I can't afford to lose a piece another part of me…" Fai muttered as a single tear fell down his pale face.

Kurogane stayed back a little bit to stay out of earshot before he muttered to himself, "Your not the only one who's broken into pieces." He glanced up at the blonde walking in front, "If you go…I'll lose the only part of me still intact."


	21. Apology

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Tsubasa CLAMP owns them  
**Pairings:** Kuro x Fai  
**Notes:** A long chapter because I haven't written lately 

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The group arrived back at their place at the inn they had found, Mokona was already there and waiting for them.

"Sakura!" The little white creature exclaimed as the girl slumped to her knees in front of it. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Moko-chan, really I am." She spoke quietly as she wiped a few tears from the creature's eyes.

Fai smiled weakly at the pair and quickly used it as an excuse to move as far away as he could from the ninja behind him. The two still hadn't solved anything, if anything it was getting worse.

"_Kurogane, just leave me alone!" The magician had worked himself up and was yelling even though he knew the younger members were watching. _

"_I don't care about my life! I couldn't careless if I die! What's the big difference I'll either die the way I wish or end up dying because of h…" he trailed off._

"_If you really think that way then fine!" The taller male retorted pointing to the windowsill, "There's a knife there so use it if you're that desperate!"_

"_Kurogane-san please…" Sakura piped in quietly._

"_Stay out of it you!" The hot tempered male snapped. The princess immediately took several steps backwards. _

"_Oh so now your yelling at them?! Have you no heart?!" Fai yelled while attempting to throw a book at the other's head._

"_Me, have no heart?! You're the one who wants to die so much no matter what the out come may be!" Kurogane yelled after dodging the book. "If you feel no compassion for anyone then I pity you. Your not worth the time, you pitiful bastard!" _

_The mage had been the one to walk off to his room. He'd collapsed against the door when he entered._

"_It's funny," He muttered quietly, "The only thing that hurt was that you were the one saying it." _

"Sakura-chan I think you better rest, you'll need all you can get for tomorrow." Fai carried on smiling as he helped the princess out of the room. In all truth he didn't want to leave the poor boy in the room with the ninja but, he had no choice.

"Fai-san?" Sakura spoke weakly as she stared up at him, "Are you and Kurogane-san talking again yet?"

"No." He replied bluntly, "I don't intend to either…not after all of this…"

"Fai-san…Speak with him please…it's not helping either of you solve anything…" The princess stared down at the floor passing underneath her feet rather than look at the magician's face.

"Same with you Sakura-chan. You haven't really spoken to this Syaoran since the other one left." Fai commented glancing down at the girl.

"I know I haven't. It just seems awkward to though…" The desert girl paused at the doorway to her room, "The clone…our Syaoran…he might not survive without the eye right…"

"I doubt it…" The magician muttered not meeting the emerald eyes. He wanted to mention that he didn't plan on living that long but couldn't bring himself to say it. Not after she'd already lost one person.

"So I'll have to choose…but if you die…" Sakura trailed off before turning and entering the room, "Good night Fai-san.."

"Good night Sakura-chan." Fai smiled again weakly.

"_You ruined this place!" The children shouted as they threw stones at the group. Most of them aimed at Syaoran._

"_You destroyed it!" A few adults joined in as the noise alerted more and more people._

_Fai would have laughed if the situation wasn't so serious. He knew exactly the same feeling from way back in his home country. He had watched as Sakura stepped in the way, blocking the new boy from objects._

_Sakura had asked to move worlds, whether it was out of pain or because of the memories was unclear._

"We're being watched," Fai muttered as he glanced out of the window.

"I know." The ninja muttered trying to keep his mind off of the pain shooting up and down his arm.

He had chosen the wrist due to the fact that Fai could easily choose to kill him on the neck. Since they weren't on good terms he had decided not to take the chance.

"Are you going to say something to me?" The magician asked as he whipped his mouth on his sleeve.

"What do you expect me to say? Other than who ever is watching us is going to suspect something now." Kurogane mumbled, trying to keep his gaze off of the other male.

"Sorry would be nice. You'd never say it though." Fai spat as he moved closer to the window and closed the curtains. "I guess I always pick the wrong guys." He whispered to himself.

"I'll say sorry when you say you'll live." The raven haired man retorted.

"Then I guess you won't say it." The blonde spun around to face the taller male. "Sakura is worried about us."

"She should focus her mind on her own problem." The ninja noticed some blood still on the pale face. "You should look in a mirror."

"Will I have a reflection?" Fai snorted as he walked closer to the other occupant of the room.

"You read too many fiction books," Kurogane grabbed the other man's arm as he walked past. "Not every book tells the truth, just like not ever person does."

"Let go of me." The flaxen mage spoke coldly as he looked at the hand in disgust.

"After you clean up…" The taller male tilted the other's head to face him, "You don't want the kids to worry now do you?"

"I can go take a shower." The magician tried to turn his head back. "I don't need you to take care of me like a cripple."

"Maybe...but you said…" The dark haired male leant right down to the other's ear, "You wanted an apology…"

"I might but not like this." The smaller male was visibly looking annoyed, "I don't want to be tied down again by being close to someone I'll hurt when I leave."

"You're already hurting me. I know you're hurting too." Kurogane paused before pulling back slightly to take a look at the delicate face in his hand. "You'll hurt more than one person if you choose death.

Fai closed his eye slightly. He already knew that and didn't want to hear it again. He could feel tears forming and didn't make any motion to stop them from falling; he'd already broken down atleast once a day since the argument.

"I hate it when you cry like that." Kurogane lifted the blonde's head slightly, "You don't know how much it hurts me to see you like that."

Fai closed his eyes tighter in the hope that it might block out the sound of the ninja talking too. He was thankful when the other male stopped talking, stopped saying the words he dreaded.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt something on his cheek, something familiar.

The ninja kissed the tears away slowly; he knew that Fai was watching him even without opening his own eyes.

"Kuro…I'm sorry…" Fai muttered as he clutched the back of the taller man's shirt, "Sorry for hurting you…"


	22. Phoenix and Dragon

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Tsubasa CLAMP owns them  
**Pairings:** Slight Kuro x Fai  
**Notes: **We're back after so long! Hopefully I can juggle this around homework this term 

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"You're a right bastard sometimes you know that?" The blonde spat from his seat, "I don't why the hell I'm still here I really don't…"

"How very unlike you." Kurogane commented from his place by the window, looking through the gap between the fabric.

"I would have thought you'd appreciate me showing what I truly am under all the smiles. I thought you'd be glad to see me broken down." Fai swung his legs round the chair to rest on one of the arms.

"You're not broken down, you're just being moody." The taller male muttered. "When you're broken down you cry, you cry for hours."

"How would you know?" The mage glanced across to the other male with a look of disgust across his face.

"I've seen it, you're a master of lies on the face but your work with your eyes…eye even needs work. It gives away your true feelings every time." Kurogane closed the gap in the curtains again after he was sure no one else was going to be looking at them.

"Maybe…but I care not...I'm used to far worse things than a little scolding from one person." Fai waved it off and stretched out in his seat, "I've had far, far worse…"

"If you've had trouble in the past why do you want it to repeat? Why make things harder for yourself when you can make them easier?" The ninja took a seat nearby, "I'll repeat what I said before, is it so hard for you to believe?"

"I've never had things easy when I was amongst my own people now why would it be easy with people I hardly know?" The magician laughed quietly, "I'm not worthy enough to take the easy way."

"Why do you put yourself down?" The dark haired male paused, "Why don't you let us close if we want to help?"

"I put myself down because that's what I've been brought up around. People demanding perfection of everything I did." Fai glanced at a spot on the far wall by the door, willing someone else to enter the room.

"As for why I don't let you close…it's my problem and no one ever helped me before, I guess I think it's all a game."

"A game? This is hardly a game. I don't play with other people like you tend too." Kurogane almost laughed at the very reply from the mage.

"I've still heard worse. I might run from things but I hardly play games with people's lives…" The blonde smirked slightly, "Want to hear a tale from my world? You know to pass the time?"

"Go ahead I know you won't tell me anything else tonight…" The ninja muttered dryly.

"You seem so sure…" Fai smirked.

_Before our world was created, before any of them were, there was just one dimension. This one world was a paradise to all that lived there; many creatures dwelled in harmony and lived without a chaos or death._

_There were two creatures that ruled over this world, the phoenix and dragon. These two beings symbolised total opposites of eachother, light and dark, good and evil, knowledge and power. _

_They believed that each creature should have atleast one feature that was unique to them; unfortunately there was one creature that got greedy. _

_The human decided it wanted to be better than all the others, that it should rule not the phoenix dragon. _

_So after planning for many moons the human went through with it's plan and took everything. _

_Greed is a terrible thing though; it corrupts everything and anything it can get hold of. _

_The human's greed eventually drove it to war, offering the world to all that would join. Soon the dimension was split in two and driven into war, only the ones who weren't driven to fighting were the creators of the place, the rulers. _

_Seeing their paradise was being torn apart by its very inhabitants they decided to wipe all life away, to send them to new worlds._

_They created thousands upon thousands of dimensions for the creatures but punished humans for the dark deeds in the past. They unleash sins upon the species but as a side effect all creations were too cursed._

_Humans had single handily destroyed paradise for all creatures, but now had a place to call their own. Yet now ever humans are divided. One half is look upon by the phoenix, which makes sure they live in peace and use the knowledge they have. The other is looked upon by the dragon that helps them grow stronger and voice opinions. _

"So we have to have all kinds of people to keep the world balanced." Fai finished taking in the confused look on the ninja's face.

"Please tell me you don't go around telling that to everyone you meet." Kurogane was caught between laughing at such a horrible idea and being confused out of his mind for such a thing being thought up.

"It's a belief in my world that is why most magicians have a phoenix engraved onto their backs. It's meant to help guide wisdom and help with mastering magic." The blonde smiled sadly at the floor, he sorely missed his marking now, and it seemed that all the pain was for nothing in the end.

"I guess it makes sense. I'm betting you don't have many things that are taboo." The raven haired man stretched slightly, neck clicking a few times as he rolled it.

"Taboo? We have quite a few. None of them have ever applied to anything I've done though. I don't read many forms of writing, I'm not travelling with some one of three times my age and I'm certainly have no interest in herbs that I'm not used to using." Fai tapped his chin in though with his index finger.

"You're seriously messed up you know that?" The ninja remarked shutting his eyes and trying to relax.

"I've still heard worse." Came the reply.

"How many times have you been broken?" Kurogane asked out of the blue.

"Far too many to count, and only by two people, I _must _be pathetic." The magician mumbled.

"You have to be broken to be built back up again, that's what my mother used to tell me. Maybe you'll start coming back to your normal self soon." The taller male glanced with one eye over to where the mage was.

"Maybe you'll be fixed well if you let people help you."

"Maybe…" Fai muttered in reply.

There was a quiet knock on the door, which slowly opened to have Sakura's face and Mokona poking around the frame. Sakura still looked a little tired while Mokona just looked upset for some reason.

"We have to get going…Syaoran-kun…he's downstairs waiting…" The princess muttered sadly. She still hadn't got quiet used to the new Syaoran instead of the old one.

With that she quickly exited and her heavy footsteps could be heard growing distant down the stairs.

"If you have less than six scratches today I'll let you buy some of that sweet junk today." Kurogane mumbled as he helped the light male to his feet.

"Hmmm…" Fai mumbled something else that sounded like 'we'll see'. He walked out quickly and stood just outside the door for a bit before following where Sakura had gone.

"For someone who's meant to be a phoenix you don't use that knowledge." The dark haired man muttered as he trailed slowly after the rest of the group.


	23. Calling

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Tsubasa CLAMP owns them  
**Pairings:** Slight Kuro x Fai, Slight Ashura x Fai  
**Notes:** I support the Ashura-ou is not evil club 

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"_We've located the magician…he's in a place called infinity."_

"_Thank you…You may go." _

_The messenger left without another word, leaving the monarch to his thoughts. The wind had picked up again outside bring yet more snow with it. _

"_Fai D. Flowright…I plan on us meeting very soon." The king smirked slightly as he swirled the liquid in his glass._

"_I look forward to it."_

As the group walked down towards where the match was held the atmosphere seemed a little off, as though words were wanted to be said but weren't. Even when Sakura turned to separate from the group she seemed hesitant.

Kurogane glanced across towards the mage who wore the same sad smile he'd worn many times lately, possibly the only sign he showed that he was human.

"If there's something you wish to say…" Fai commented without bothering to face the ninja staring at his every movement.

"It's nothing." The taller male grunted as they were ushered off to their starting positions.

The field was certainly very different to the ones the group was used to fighting on with the thorns trapping them inside.

Both the ninja and mage made a mental note that the brunette seemed a little off already and Fai was sure he could see a hint of worry in the boy's eyes.

Sakura kept her gaze on the _new _Syaoran for some reason she could feel a stronger connection to him now more than earlier.

The rabbit hopped onto its stand to announce the countdown, if it was any other place the magician would have mused at how much Mokona truly looked like a rabbit.

Kurogane was first to attack when the chains broke, scattering the metal shards across the ground. Fai followed closely after blocking attacks from behind the warriors back; even now his smile crept into place but not as strongly as it once had been.

When the young teen went into the battle he was out numbered and thrown backwards into the mass of thorns around the edge, painting the green plants in red patches before hitting to floor.

It was indeed Sakura to first react in horror, from her place high above the ring. Her hesitation forcing the ninja and magician to freeze to the spot, obviously they weren't lying when the rules were mentioned about using the master's will to fight.

Fai couldn't help but think that he'd been in this type of position before, in the dreams that had recently started to haunt his sleep.

_He's running, through the hallways in the castle back in that snow covered land. Although he can't quite understand why he's running or what he's running from. _

_Underneath his feet is a mirror, of himself running but in a similar place to the tunnels between the dimensions._

_Several walls rise up around him, creating a maze with each step he takes. There's breathing behind him, growing closer with each corner that he turns. _

_Then there's' nothing. There's only a mirror in front of him, his own reflection looking back at him and the same below his feet._

_He risks a glance behind to the direction of the sound but there's nothing not even the maze he just passed through, it's as if nothing was even there._

_When he faces back the way he was going the figure of his greatest fear is staring him in the face. Ashura-ou looking the same was the day he was sealed at the bottom of the pool._

_He glances below but there's something different staring his reflect in the face, the dark haired warrior, Kurogane._

Normally he'd wake up in a cold sweat around that time; normally he'd shuffle further into the corner of the room pressed up against the wall.

Today isn't the most normal day though and thing haven't stopped in reality. His body is aching from the lack of movement; Kurogane is also still frozen pressing against his back.

"Syaoran….-Kun…." Sakura mutters as she tries to stay calm and get her head back into the game, if only to save her two remaining warriors from pain.

Kurogane coughed slightly trying to get the mage's attention without attracting anyone else's.

It seemed to have worked as there was a mumbled reply from over his shoulder.

"Don't faze out." The raven haired male muttered as quietly as possible.

Fai mumbled his agreement but something was still nipping at the back on his mind. Like something was trying to get his attention.

He could hear Syaoran speaking and obviously getting up as his joints seemed to loosen up, although it seemed to bring several cuts that had been made during his moment of thought.

Kurogane kept his gaze on the boy who was staggering to his feet slowly, and wobbly. He grunted before turning his attention back to the three opponents grinning at them.

He could have sworn he felt Fai tense up behind him but when he turned to look at the smaller male he was wearing that smile again.

"_Ashura-ou, is there something wrong?" One of the servants asked the monarch who was one his third bottle of wine._

"_You seem a little tense."_

"_Nothing is wrong. It's just…It's just after all these years I till can't quite work out how Fai's mind works." The raven haired king took a swig of his drink before glancing out of the tower window,_

"_I can't quite understand why he left…" _

"_You may never know that. Fai isn't the type of person who will kiss and tell in a sense." An elderly servant replied._

"_You should be getting back to Fei Wang Reed shouldn't you? I'd prefer for this place to be as it was for when Fai returns." The monarch paused to think over what he just said._

"_I don't want him to relive what happened…"_

"_As you wish." The elderly woman bowed as she turned to leave._

"_Kaima…I thank you for staying." Ashura smiled slightly at the old witch._

"_Ashura-ou it's my pleasure as long as Fai isn't harmed. I made a promise to his mother to keep in safe and his mind isn't the most secure." The witch remarked._

"_He may have found another…but I feel it's my duty to set things right between us before he makes a mistake." The king nodded as the witch closed the door behind her._

"_Fai…hopefully we can sort this out soon…"_


	24. Ending song

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Tsubasa CLAMP owns them  
**Pairings:** Slight Kuro x Fai and Slight Ashura x Fai  
**Notes:** And that's all she wrote. Fianlly finished I know this was maybe a little rushed and is around twice as long as the other chapters. 

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"_Welcome back Fai D. Flowright" _

The group had no sooner ended their match than Mokona had already whisked them to the next world, a cold and deserted world.

"Mokona doesn't know why we're here…" The creature muttered from it's post on top of Syaoran's head.

"…I just got the urge to come here…"

Sakura smiled sadly at the little white ball before glancing around the area the group had landed in.

The houses were lifeless and a cold wind swept through the cracks and holes, blowing the fresh snow across the ground leaving faint patterns behind.

"Oi…Mage…" The ninja was the first to notice that the mage hadn't moved or even attempted to speak since they'd landed.

"Celes…" The magician muttered all colour draining from his face. "Celes…"

"Celes?" Sakura questioned tilting her head as shifting around as if looking for a non-existent sign.

"That's where we are…Celes…my world…" Fai had started staggering forward and running his hand over several of the broken down buildings.

"It seems Ashura-ou is awake..."

"_It seems that he wants to flee again. Should we bar the place?"_

"_No. We have what they need."_

"Mekyo!" Mokona pointed in the vague direction that seemed to have the least snowfall. "Mokona sense a feather over there."

"Over…t-there?" The mage stuttered going a paler colour, if it was possible. "That's the castle."

Syaoran nodded and started walking, following the snow white creature's directions.

Sakura gave Fai a sympathetic look that told him all he had to know. 'We wont make you come but I'd prefer if you did.'

"Oi. If you're that scared don't go…but we're going all the same. King or no king." Kurogane brushed past the smaller male, leaving him to stay if he wanted.

Fai sighed deeply, loudly. "I guess…they'll find out…"

"_Ashura-ou! Ashura-ou!" The male stopped running as he skidded into the grand hall, which was luckily empty. _

"_Ashura-ou! He's here."_

"_Who's here?" The monarch looked up from the various papers he had on his lap, "Calm down and tell me again, Fai."_

_Fai took several deep breaths before attempting to speak again._

"_That man, Fei Wang Reed. He's here and waiting for you."_

"_Thank you Fai. Now I think I saw Chii wondering about looking for you in the library, please go tend to her." Ashura smiled lightly as he rearranged several pieces of paper._

_The mage nodded and dashed back out of the hall, his footsteps echoing for several metres._

"_You may come in, Fei Wang Reed." _

"_Ashura-ou. I've come with another proposition." A tall man stepped into the hall, followed by a young girl who was holding several papers._

"_Your mage could be of a great help to me and my research into magic. I propose to use him to find this dangerous girl."_

The castle had several thousand steps, which Fai kept repeating during the whole walk up the twisting staircase. Mokona had decided to go to sleep in his warm hood during the long, steep walk.

Sakura was struggling behind with Syaoran helping her over some of the gaps where the steps had fallen away.

"How does this thing stay in the air?" The young boy had muttered over half way up the stairs.

"Magic." Fai had replied simply and somewhat coldly. He remembered running up the stairs just to slide the whole way back down on the slope at the edge, which was a fair while ago.

He wasn't there to play this time, and he certainly wasn't going to mess up this chance.

"Fai-san, are you sure your king is awake. Maybe he's not." Sakura called out from a few paces behind.

"He's awake. Chii is dead. Yet here we are going into a castle painted in blood and bad memories." The mage had snapped back irritably as he tried his best to avoid running straight up those steps and back to his former king.

"No one said you had to come." The ninja caught the slim pale wrist of the magician and tugged him back, "No one forced you into this. You can turn back right now."

"What and miss you finding out about my past? I wouldn't miss that for the world. After all your getting what you want, me to stop lying." Fai hissed as he jerked his wrist free.

"I'm sure you'll just _love _to see me squirm. That's what you want me to do isn't it."

Another wind swept up underneath the stairs, a cold yet somewhat amused laugh carried on it. The very sound sent shivers up the blonde's spine and back again.

"What was that sound?" Sakura nervously looked around, looking like a scared cat, "Where did it come from?"

Mokona seemed to have noticed the steps had ended and glanced up out of its furry white bed.

"Mokona has a bad feeling…"

"_Fai…are you sure you want to go through with this? If this doesn't work…"_

"_Ashura-ou I'm very sure. It's only a simple spell and I'm sure it'll work, it might come in handy at some point." The smaller male tilted his head smiling._

"_How can you have so much trust in something like this?" The monarch questioned as he glanced over the several spell books in the room._

"_I see no reason to not trust it. Besides it'll work…I'm sure it will and then you can get what you want. Then everyone will be happy." Fai grinned slightly._

"_Fai…you're way too trusting you know that."_

The entrance was just as he'd left it, covered in blood and several soldiers' bodies. It seemed that Ashura-ou didn't want to clean up someone else's mess, then again it would seem stupid to clear up a deserted world.

"Fai-san…why are there bodies lying around?" The desert princess asked from her place behind the brunette.

"Because Sakura-chan…there was a war…" Fai smiled sadly, if only he'd died then. If only.

"Fai D. Flowright…" The wind had picked up again carrying the cold voice with it. "…It's nice to see you again."

"Ashura-ou…" The mage glanced up at the doorway where the snow king was standing. He seemed different than when he'd been sealed.

"Where is Chii?"

"Where's your eye." The king questioned back, smirking at the face the blonde pulled.

"You set her up and knew she'd be destroyed. Why?"

"Why don't you tell us what you did to Fai-san!" Syaoran stepped forwards in front of the thin male with Sakura slightly behind him.

"Me? I did nothing." The raven haired male glanced over at Kurogane and smirked lightly, "I take it he hasn't told you yet.

"Told us what?!" The ninja glanced at of the corner of his eye at the magician.

"I told you that you'd find out…" Fai muttered quietly, head hanging low.

"_Fei Wang Reed tricked us didn't he?!" Fai yelled across the stone hall surprising several servants. _

"_He used my magic to destroy things, to alter things for his own reasons!"_

"_Fai please calm down. You don't want your magic to get out of hand." Ashura smiled lightly down at his magician._

"_We shall get back at that man in due time."_

"_He's turned half of our town into zombies! They're working for him and destroying innocent homes!" The blonde shook his head frantically, "If you wont do anything...I will!"_

"_Fai don't!" The monarch called after his old friend but didn't seem to succeed in stopping him._

"Fai, I have only one thing to ask of you." The king shook his head sadly, "Why did you do it? Why did you seal me away? Why did you flee?"

"I did it to save you…" Fai muttered from under his hair.

Sakura looked surprised with Mokona while Syaoran and Kurogane looked rather confused.

The one he'd spoken such ill about he was running from to save him.

"What?!" The ninja gripped the pale man's coat shaking him roughly, "Your running for a stupid reason like that?!"

"You don't understand…" The magician added.

"I don't understand?! Well then you better damn tell us!" The warrior snapped.

"You want the truth?" Fai laughed lightly and gave his king a quick glance to see if he was still looking, "Fine."

_Several bodies were in every street being eaten by starved people and wild animals, the smell sinking into the bricks of the houses. The stench was almost suffocating, all because of that one incident._

_He'd been used. His own magic used to destroy lives of not only people in his own country but in other worlds as well. _

_Time altered. Things messed around and now he had seen the result. _

_A boy locked away while a clone lived his life. A girl without her heart and a boy had lost his family. _

_All because of him…all because he'd been 'too trusting'. _

_The previous king had been right, he really was bad luck. Now his magic was out of control because he'd gotten angry, all those years of practising that fake smile. The smile that made sure his magic never went too far. All of that was gone now._

_Here he was standing on top of the tower, blue lights swirling around running through the streets below, flowing into the very castle below his feet._

"Fai…you could have stopped it. You didn't even try." Ashura smiled kindly at the magician who was now standing alone. His friends all staring at him in shock not quite believing what they were hearing.

"I couldn't…That's why I sealed you. That's why I ran. I knew you'd never understand. I knew you'd just shake it off!" Fai yelled clenching his fists and shaking slightly.

Sakura and Syaoran took several steps back, keeping their eyes fixed on the mage in front of them.

"I knew you'd just act as if it was nothing! As if I'd done something right!" The blonde snapped.

_The magic twisted through the streets wiping out anything and everything with a heart beat. Going through them like a bullet, leaving a hole in their corpses and blood splattered again the walls._

"_Fai! Stop it!" Ashura gripped hold of the blonde's arms holding him still. "Call it off Fai."_

"_I can't…" Fai smiled sadly, he would have laughed if it wasn't such a serious matter. _

"_I give it about an hour before it reaches inside the castle's protection. I'm going to save you…Ashura-ou…"_

"_What are you talking about?!" The king almost regretted those very words as magic swirled around him._

"_Fai, don't do this!"_

_  
"I'm sorry…" He turned his head as the magic grew higher around his king._

"Unfortunately…I couldn't come up with an answer..." The wind picked up again carrying the cold laughter back towards the group.

"How long have you been awake?"

"A few days. Why?" Ashura questioned breathing harder than he was a few moments ago.

"I thought so…the curse I set upon this land will come back…come back to take you. You and only you shall go." Fai stated making sure he got the point across that no one else would be taken.

"I guess I'm getting what I deserve. Its only fair I go where they went is it not?" The monarch smirked lightly pulling a feather out of his pocket and letting it float gently on the breeze.

Mokona handed it to Sakura who seemed to tense up, possibly not wanting to fall asleep.

"That is what you wanted is it not? For her not to see." The dark haired man grinned tilting his head.

"I always said you were too trusting…I said you were too fragile to be in the war…I guess I was wrong."

_Fai ha transported the sealed coffin to the bottom of the pool. He'd read through every book in the libraries of the palace and country and yet found nothing on reversing the curse._

"_Chii?" The girl seemed to be getting more and more worried about him everyday._

"_I'll be going away Chii...I need to find something and I doubt I'll find it." Fai ruffled her hair as he rose up from his seat on the marble floor. _

"_You want Chii to do something?" The girl questioned._

"_Yes…something important…" Fai smiled and something caught his eye from the window._

_An elderly woman was using magic for some reason in the snow before disappearing in a flurry of snow._

The magic hit fast and harder than he'd expected it to hit. His former king was thrown back, like many of the other people he'd seen, blood painting the last few snow covered walls in the red liquid.

The monarch turned despite the pain to face the ninja, "Treat him better than I did." With that he collapsed staining the white ground. He still managed to smile.

"Why were you afraid of him coming?" Kurogane asked after a few moments of silence.

"If he'd left this world the curse would have followed. If I ran and kept moving he would have been able to find me to bring me back. That way thousands would be saved by him just staying in this world." Fai crouched down and dusted several inches of snow away.

"I didn't want him to follow and kill thousands on his way."

Kurogane smirked slightly, "You thought of all of that? How very thoughtful an Fai-like of you."

A small chirping came from Fai's pocket from where the small bird had been staying. It flew up and chirped something before fluttering off into the woodland.

"Mokona, would you do us all the favour of getting us out of here?" Fai asked leaning against Kurogane.

"Mmm." Mokona nodded smiling as best it could at the older males before jumping high into the air.

As the group left the remaining snow swept away uncovering a grave stone carved into the courtyard.

_Fai D Flowright_

_Magician of Celes_

_Lost to the wind but never to be forgotten._

_Artic Phoenix…_


End file.
